The Mistress
by AngelaMay234
Summary: Not long after giving birth, Judy starts acting strange, and Nick soon learns that's not all he has to worry about. Sequel to Camping Trip, second story in Secrets and Lies series.
1. How it Begins

_I'm pretty sure I know who caused this story to get removed, and unfortunately, I'm going to have to give the little troll what they want if it means keeping the whole of my Secrets and Lies series up. I'll note the changes at the ends of those chapters, and hopefully we won't have any more issues._

* * *

Judy's fingers clamped down on the bed's safety rails. She and Nick had been in the hospital garden when her labor had started, so there hadn't been time for an epidural, and the pain had made her grip his paw so hard she'd ended up fracturing his thumb. He hadn't complained, though, stepping away just long enough to get it set and wrapped before he was back at her side, draping his arm around her shoulders, whispering sweet words in her ear to try and keep her as calm as he could.

"You're almost there, sweetheart," he murmured, nuzzling the line of fur just inside it. "Just a little longer…"

"Alright, Judy, I'm gonna need one more push from you," the doctor, an older hare buck, looked up at them from the foot of the bed. "And it's gotta be a big one!"

Tasting blood in her mouth from how hard she was biting her lip, Judy nodded, putting every last scrap of strength she could find into the action, swearing she could feel the steel railings dent in her grip as a loud, primal scream tore from her lungs. She'd spent nine months carrying this baby, dealing with mood swings, weird cravings, swollen everything and constant bathroom breaks, not to mention endless aches, pains and fatigue, and this was how they thanked her? By making her feel like every cell was being ripped in two as she put her all into bringing them into the world?

 _And my mom did this_ how _many times?!_

But as the last of her energy faded and she collapsed against the solid support of Nick's arm, more sweaty and breathless than she'd ever been in her life, she knew every second of those endless weeks was worth it, when she finally heard the first cries of their child. Dr. Hayworth didn't say anything as he clamped and clipped the cord, keeping the new kit hidden as he carried it to the nurses waiting to wash and measure it, just like she and Nick had asked.

"I've delivered a few inter-species kits and cubs," he pulled down his mask as he walked back toward them. "But I'll be honest, I never thought a bunny and fox hybrid would be added to that list, at least, not again."

He averted his eyes, peeling off his ruined rubber gloves before nervously rubbing the back of his neck. It didn't take them long to figure out what he meant. A few awkward seconds passed before someone cleared their throat behind them.

"Congratulations, you two," one of the nurses stepped past him, Stephanie's little sister, Julia. She held out a tiny bundle carefully cradled in both paws, loosely swaddled in a fuzzy blue blanket. "You've got a healthy little Terrance James Wilde."

James was a common middle name in Nick's family, since Judy wasn't quite feeling up to naming their son after anyone in hers. Smiling in exhausted excitement, she carefully took Terrance from the tigress' massive paws, holding him to her chest, her eyes filling with tears as she gazed down at him. Several ounces bigger than a bunny kit, he was mostly his father: the short, pointed ears, a tapered muzzle that was slightly shorter than a full-blooded fox's. But unlike Nick, his ears were almost full russet, tipped with black like hers, white mixed with the cream of his little chest. He also had white on the front of his paws, with pale pink pads, and she guessed his feet would be no different. When he opened his eyes, they were the same blue every kit had, and she couldn't wait to see what color they would turn out to be.

"He's beautiful," Nick murmured next to her, then kissed the top of her head. "Just like his mother."

"I just hope he didn't get any hard-headedness from me," she laid against his shoulder. "Your stubbornness is more than enough."

"Har har," he nuzzled her cheek. "You know you love me."

"Do I know that?" she licked his nose. "Yes, yes I do."

He caught her chin when she tried to turn away, leaning in to kiss her tenderly, the act ending abruptly with the soft click of a camera. They turned to stare at Julia, who shrugged while sliding her phone back in the pocket of her flamingo-patterned scrubs.

"What, you thought I _wouldn't_ capture the first time you held your son?" she smirked at them. "Then you really don't know me at all."

Nick rolled his eyes, lightly tracing a claw over Terrance's forehead.

"I know this is probably gonna fall on deaf ears, but could you please keep this to yourself? I'd rather let everyone know in the bullpen tomorrow."

She shrugged again.

"I'll do what I can, but you know Ben and Steph always seem to find these things out, and once they do…" she held out her paws at her sides. "You're lucky if they only plaster _half_ the city with the news."

Still leaning against him, Judy shuddered, no doubt remembering when she'd told the couple about her pregnancy, how the entire precinct had been set up for a baby shower the very next day. And had Bogo not ordered them to keep things low-key afterward, she was still sure they would've indeed let the entire city know two of its hero cops were expecting their first kit. And before all that, there'd been their engagement, and then the wedding…

 _At least now I know where Nick gets his obduracy from,_ Judy thought. Genevieve had managed to do the pretty much impossible: keep Benjamin Clawhauser in the backseat when it came to planning something he was excited about. Though she was sure it had a lot to do with the fact he'd also been thinking about his proposal to Stephanie, since he'd decided to ask her to celebrate hitting his target weight. And at least her saying yes had allowed Nick and Judy some sweet revenge. _If I'm right, they should be saying their vows right now._

"Would that be alright with you, Judy?"

She blinked, shaking her head before turning to Dr. Hayworth, who was looking at her expectantly. She blushed.

"I-I'm sorry, I spaced out," she flashed a sheepish smile. "What did you say?"

He chuckled.

"I said we'll be taking Terrance to the nursery once he's had a chance to eat, so you can have some time to rest. Would that be alright with you, Judy?"

"Oh, right," she looked down at her kit, who was whining softly as he nuzzled the front of her hospital gown. She giggled, reaching back to undo the tie, letting her sleeve slide partway down her shoulder. "That would be perfect, thank you."

He nodded, Julia and the other nurse, a deer buck neither Judy or Nick had seen before, filing out before he shut the door behind him. She pulled down her sleeve the rest of the way, leaning back against Nick's shoulder as Terrance instinctively latched on and started suckling.

"You want me to stick around after they take him?" Nick asked softly, his lips still curled in a joyful smile. She hummed in contentment, tilting her head back to kiss his cheek.

"You can if you want, but I'm probably just gonna go to sleep after this," she sighed. "Giving birth is exhausting."

"I can imagine," he looked at his thumb, wincing as he tried to bend it. "I tried that simulation thing, even with gas I barely made it."

She giggled, remembering when he'd asked about it the week before.

"Just be glad you didn't have to carry him for nine months," she held their son closer to her. "Having him's almost the easy part compared to all that."

He swallowed.

"I'm just glad he wasn't around to see those crazy mood swings of yours," he flashed a sly grin. "I'm pretty sure Delgato had to go to therapy after you went off on him."

She scowled, would've slugged him if her arms weren't full, and if she weren't so tired.

"He shouldn't have been carrying that much stuff at once, he's lucky I didn't tell Bogo about how careless he was being!"

He chuckled, his eyes shining fondly as he cupped their son's head; the kit was barely a pawful for him.

"He's so tiny…"

"He'd be even smaller if he were a full-blooded bunny," she let out a yawn. "He'd also probably have four or five siblings, if not more. We can have up to fourteen kits per litter."

"And for red foxes, it's usually six to eight," he cocked his head. "So I'm surprised we only ended up with one."

She shrugged one shoulder, not wanting to jostle their son.

"It's probably because our gene pools are so different, and it is possible for both our species to only have one or two at a time," she couldn't hold back an 'aww' as Terrance finished, yawning silently. "He's so cute!"

"So how does that work in this case?" Nick asked suddenly, elaborating at her confused look. "I mean, I know bunnies don't like being called 'cute' by other animals, but he's half fox, so I'm not really…"

She scratched her cheek, her face scrunching up slightly in thought.

"Huh, I actually never thought of that," she said at last. "I guess it'd be okay. He's your son, after all, so it's only natural you'd find him cute, but then he is also half bunny, so…"

She shook her head, groaning in frustration.

"Ugh, I'm too tired to do this right now," she glared at him when he snickered. "I don't care if you call him that, or really what any other bunnies would have to say if they heard you, so I guess go ahead and use it, just not when you talk to me, okay?"

"As long as I can still call you adorable, sweetheart," he kissed her forehead, carefully taking his arm from around her shoulders. "But I can tell you're fading, so why don't I find Hayworth and let you get some sleep?"

She nodded, her lips curling in a tired smile as she laid back against the pillow, her paws falling limp at her sides as he took their son. Her heart swelled as she watched him, the proud tears he blinked from his eyes her final sight as she let sleep take over.

 _He's going to be an_ amazing _dad…_


	2. Introspection

Nick glanced at his phone, deciding he had just enough time to do one last check of the loft before he had to pick up Judy and Terrance at Savanna General. All the empty outlets had been plugged by plastic covers, the corners of any low furniture softened by foam guards. They'd decided that would be enough for now, since it would be months before their son could even lift his head, let alone risk hitting it as he toddled around. He remembered asking Finnick to help him with it, since Judy had already been confined to the hospital at the time, how hard the tiny fox had laughed, even if he'd still agreed afterward. They'd settled down on the couch with some beers once they'd finished, Nick asking the question that had been on his mind since he'd called his old friend the night before.

 _"_ _Carrots and I were thinking…would you like to be the godfather?"_

He'd thought Fin would just laugh again, but instead the older male had sat there silently, eventually letting out the barest sniffle.

 _"_ _Damn it, hanging with you's making me soft,"_ he'd swiped at his eyes with his sleeve, Nick doing his best to hide his smile. _"But yeah, I guess I could do that, if you really mean it."_

 _"_ _Of course I mean it, Fin, you're one of the best friends I have."_

He chuckled as the first time Fin had met Terry came to mind, how he'd teared up when Judy had placed the kit in his arms, both she and Nick laughing when he'd said he'd bite their faces off if they told anybody. It still amazed him how quickly the fennec's rough demeanor had faded, and he was glad to see that so many years on the streets hadn't done anything to diminish his love of kits, not that he'd ever say any of that to Fin's face.

He pushed open the door to the nursery, taking in the soft sage green walls and cream baseboards, a full weekend's work. The crib, dresser and changing table had been gifts from Judy's parents, sanded down and painted a pale almond, just another of the ways they'd tried to apologize for everything they'd put Judy through by arranging her first marriage. None of them had heard from Darwin since the divorce had been finalized, and Nick for one dearly hoped it would stay that way.

He crossed the room and knelt by the toy chest, running a paw slowly along the top. The steel blue paint was cracked in places, the stuffed bears on the sides faded with age, but he'd never been able to bring himself to spruce it up. His great grandfather had made it with his own two paws, and it had been in the family ever since. Pulling up the lid, he traced the names carved into the naked wood on the under side: _Jackson, Ruby and Thomas; Terrance, Julian and Sophia; Nicolas, Richard, Sasha and Andrew._ He traced a claw over the _Sr._ he'd added to his father's name, the same night he'd come home and finished the _Ter_ he'd left at the bottom of the list. Terrence James Wilde II, the grandson and nephew his father and siblings would never get to meet.

Andrew had been Nick's only surviving littermate, Richard and Sasha having been stillborn, and had been found dead in their crib when they were just eight months old. The victim of a brain tumor no one had even known had formed. His parents had been utterly heartbroken, and he hadn't learned until later that his mother had suffered two miscarriages before having them, and that it was the last time she'd been able to get pregnant. Their financial situation had never been the best, and once his father had died, things had just gotten worse, to the point he'd had to run away just so she could have enough to take care of herself. And even that had still barely helped.

His grandfather's big heart had also finally given out, just after he and Judy had come back from their honeymoon, yet another family member his own son would only know through stories. Shaking off the melancholy, Nick got up and went to the front wall, a small smile lifting the corners of his lips. Judy had shown him the window seat in her old room at her parents' house, saying how it'd been her favorite place on the farm, and that she'd used it for everything from studying to watching the night sky as she fell asleep. And when they'd uncovered the window after gutting the wall to fix a broken pipe, Nick had known exactly what to do.

He'd modeled the window seat after the one in her old room, painting it the same almond as the rest of the furniture. His mother had sewn the cushions and two small pillows from a faded gray and lavender fabric she'd bought years ago, but had never found the right use for. They'd finished just in time for Judy's birthday, and it had been the perfect gift. They'd already made a habit of cuddling there to watch the sunset when they could, and he hoped it was one they'd keep up with Terrance.

Jumping a bit when his phone buzzed, he pulled out of the reverie and headed to the door, looking back at the room over his shoulder. Part of him still had trouble believing everything that had happened the last few years: both he and Fin had stopped their lives of petty crime because of a certain bunny, and inside of a year later that same bunny had complete control of his heart. They'd solved some of the most difficult cases in recent memory, and even without those, they still had some of the most impressive track records on the force. The only difference now was they were no longer partners.

After catching wind of their relationship, Bogo had had no choice but to split them up. It hadn't taken long for Judy to realize she had no stomach for working with bodies, so she'd had no problem transferring to the narcotics devision, while Nick had stayed with homicide. It didn't matter if they weren't together every minute of their work day anymore, they'd figured, not when they could come home to each other at night. There was also the fact that, since her hormones going crazy the last few months had shortened her temper, their spats had gotten more frequent, and her reassignment gave them both space to cool down and think things through. Without having to worry about constantly dancing around the issue so they could focus on their jobs, or risk saying something that would just make things worse.

Grabbing his keys from the bowl, he flicked on his shades as he stepped into the hall, the large window by the elevator allowing the late morning sunlight to spill in unabated. Even if the 'Out of Order' sign hadn't been slapped across the olive green metal doors, he still would've taken the stairs, having never been a fan of small, enclosed spaces. That, and he may or may not have been shirking off at the gym the last few months, what with the baby coming and all. But he was sure that, as soon as Judy was cleared for work, she'd be right back to pushing them both as hard as she could, and that she'd have no problem rubbing it in his face if he couldn't keep up.

It wasn't that he couldn't understand why she did it: with them still being some of the smallest on the force, and most of the city's criminals being wolves or larger, being in anything less than top physical form could just as easily be a death sentence. He'd also be lying if he said he didn't like the results; living on the streets for so long had kept him fit, at least enough to stay alive, but had also left him fairly lean, almost scrawny, if you asked him. The extra mass he'd gained since the academy had turned more than one mammal's head, and had he been a single fox, he'd have had no problem divulging in the attention. But now he had Judy, the perky, fiery little bunny being all he needed, and after everything they'd had to go through to be together, he'd sooner shoot himself than risk losing her.

Some would call that level of devotion unhealthy, at least where they were concerned, since there were still plenty of mammals on both sides who saw their relationship as immoral at best, and depraved at worse. He'd learned a long time ago to just block them out, since he couldn't really care less what they thought, anyway. Some preds and prey were just never going to get along with the other, and as long as they kept those disagreements civil and didn't hurt anyone, he'd just let them fade into the hustle and bustle of the rest of Zootopia.

 _She loves me,_ he told himself, his heart swelling as it always did. _And I love her, and that's all that matters._

At least, it was until she'd told him she was pregnant. He'd been over the moon to learn he was going to be a dad, one of several kithood dreams he'd thought had been shattered years ago, but now, he couldn't help but feel selfish. Both he and Judy had been ostracized by much of society because of what they were: she, a bunny who wanted to be a cop, and he, simply because he'd been born a fox. Terrance was a mix of them both, and the only other rabbit-fox hybrid they knew of had left a dark stain on the city's history. He also knew that, even though they were the 'hero cop duo', there would be no end to the kids, and even adults, who would bully and belittle him, simply because of what he was. He started to wonder, would it have been better to just terminate the pregnancy, to spare their kit that torment?

 _No,_ he shook his head. He couldn't let himself think that way. They would deal with those problems when they came, and he'd use the time until then to come up with the best way to do so. There'd be no more giving up, no more letting the outside world dictate his life; that wasn't who he was anymore, and he'd make sure that was who none of their kits would ever be. _You're really rubbing off on me, Carrots…_

He passed through the lobby, empty as always at this time of day, his ears drooping slightly when he reached the front parking lot. He shoved his free paw in his pocket to keep it from drifting higher, to rub the small, twin scars on his right shoulder, a constant reminder of just how far some mammals were willing to go. Even now, after almost five years, he still wasn't sure if Darwin had actually meant to wound him, or if he'd aimed for the kill and missed. Either way, that brush with death had been a turning point for him, and not just because Judy had chosen him. It had made him realize just how damaging jealousy and anger could be, whether or not they were enhanced by some kind of disorder, and since then had become the unofficial peacekeeper of Precinct One. He still kept up his snarky, 'I don't care' attitude for the most part, but strayed from making personal jabs unless he felt they were warranted. It was a lot less fun, but if it meant preventing another situation like that, then he was glad to do it.

His phone went off again as he slid behind the wheel, and he smiled when he saw Judy was Muzzletiming him. Accepting the call, he set it in the mount attached to the dash, his grin widening when her pretty gray and white face filled the screen.

"Hey there, sweetheart."

 _"_ _Hey, Slick,"_ she looked tired, but overjoyed all the same. The view tilted a bit, showing she was nursing Terrance again. " _I didn't think bunny_ or _fox kits ate this much…"_

He chuckled, sticking the key in the ignition.

"Mom always said Andrew and I about sucked her dry," his grin wilted a bit, as did hers. He hadn't told her much about his siblings, hadn't even mentioned them until she'd seen their names on his old family toy chest. After a moment, he shook his head, he'd already spent enough time today getting lost in the past. It was time to look toward the future. "Anyway, I'm on my way now, Fluff, or I will be, at least, once a certain bunny stops distracting me."

She playfully scowled at him, then stuck out her tongue.

 _"_ _Fine, then I'll stop wasting your time, not that you need much help with that."_

He laughed.

"You're right on that, Fluff," his smile softened fondly when he looked back to their son. "I'll see two soon, okay?"

She turned back to the camera, and nodded.

 _"_ _We'll be waiting for you, Slick."_

She ended the call, and he felt a surge of satisfaction as the GT's motor purred smoothly to life. There still weren't many mechanics willing to work on a fox's car, not that too many of them even had cars to begin with, but the one he'd found had done an amazing job so far, making it run better than it ever had before. He turned on the radio, going straight to his favorite classic rock station. It wasn't that he didn't like the almost bubblegum-y pop that Judy did, there was just something about 80s glam metal ballads and 90s grunge that called to him, even if the decades themselves didn't hold too many good memories.

 _Enough of that moody crap, Wilde,_ he steered out of the lot and merged into the morning traffic. _You're about to pick up your wife and son, stop thinking about what you can't change._

He turned up the volume when 'Hangin' Tough' came on, one of his favorite songs since he was a kit. It had pretty much been his anthem as a teen, one of few things that had been able to pick him up, and to this day, he still listened to it whenever things got, well, tough.

It faded out just before he pulled into Savanna General, his tail thumping against the edge of the seat when he saw Judy waiting there for him, sitting in a wheelchair with Terrance nestled in her lap. He stopped by the curb and stepped out, unable to hold back a proud grin. She blushed.

"What's the look for?"

"Nothing," he walked around the front of the car, toying with his keys in one paw while the other reached out to caress her cheek. "I was just starting to forget how pretty you are."

She rolled her eyes.

"It's only been a few days, Slick," she suddenly grabbed his tie, yanking him down into a deep kiss.

" _Wow,_ " he stared at her when she finally let him go. "Not that I'm mad, but mind telling me what _that_ was about?"

She giggled.

"I just wanted it, for one thing," she turned toward the camera currently trained on them. "And I may have had some trouble with a security guard who thought you'd forced me to marry you and have your kits."

He flashed a brief scowl to the camera, the look fading when he turned back to her.

"You and I both know I could never force you to do anything," his nose brushed her ear as he helped her from the chair, his next words coming out in a heated whisper. "Not unless you asked for it."

She shivered, her teeth sinking into her lower lip as she bit back a moan.

"It's already going to be hard enough to wait six weeks," she tweaked his ear, making him yelp in surprise. "Don't you dare make it any harder, Mr. Wilde."

He winced when her fingers twisted slightly, swallowing whatever smart mouth comment he knew was about to trip off his tongue.

"Okay, okay, I get it! Let go already!" he drew back, his ear drooping as he rubbed it. "You're just lucky my mom's place is on the way to the precinct, I'm gonna be late enough as it is."

She rolled her eyes again, climbing carefully in the back and tucking their kit in his carrier.

"She offered to come get us, you know, you didn't have to do this."

"I know," he brushed a claw over her cheek. "But what kind of male would I be, if I didn't even pick up my own wife and son from the hospital?"

She clicked her tongue, pushing against his snout as he laughed.

"I guess you have a point," she conceded, then buckled up. "I'm just glad the Chief gave you afternoon shifts for the next few weeks."

"It's because he still doesn't trust me," he shut the door and headed back to the driver's seat. "And he knows the only ones who can handle me besides you are on that shift."

She shook her head as he started the car, her ears folded back in contentment.

"You've really changed the last few years, Nick," she smiled softly. "But you're also exactly the same."

His eyes flashed with confusion when they met hers in the rearview mirror.

"So, is that a good thing?"

She laughed.

"Of course it is, Slick. You're more responsible than you used to be, more optimistic and open," she leaned forward and took his shoulder. "But you're also still the smooth-talking smart mouth I fell in love with, and I wouldn't have you any other way."

He stopped at a red light, then gripped her paw in his.

"I love you, too, Judy."

* * *

 _Hangin' Tough is by New Kids on the Block, 1988_


	3. Cold Case Central

_Not really doing much at work today, so the chapter goes up a day early. Enjoy!_

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The afternoon shift started the same way the morning one did: all the officers on duty crowded into the bullpen, goofing around and making noise as they waited for Bogo to come in and get things started. Nick pushed the door open and strolled down the aisle, throwing casual salutes to those he knew and nods to those he didn't, at least when they acknowledged him. The only seat left, as usual, was a corner one in the front, so he climbed up and made himself comfortable, straightening his badge slightly and shining it with the side of his fist.

"You put a lot of pride into that, don't you, Wilde?"

He looked up to see Anderson sitting next to him, a light smirk on his striped face. Nick shrugged.

"I'm the first fox to wear one," he said. "I feel it'd be bad form or something if I didn't."

Anderson chuckled.

"I hear that, my grandfather was one of the first tigers," he added. "Back when they'd just started accepting preds."

"They didn't always?" Nick blinked in confusion. "Huh, I just assumed it's always been mostly preds."

The tiger shook his head.

"It was a bit before our time, but back when the ZPD was just starting up, they wouldn't let most preds near the place unless they were cuffed," he huffed. "It's only in the last thirty years or so that we started making up the majority."

He cocked a brow.

"And that reminds me, how's our first bunny doing?"

Nick smiled fondly.

"She's doing great, I just dropped her and Terry off at my mom's place."

It was Anderson's turn to blink.

"Wait, she had the baby already? When did that happen?"

Nick laughed.

"Three days ago, and I can already tell he's gonna be a pawful," he narrowed his eyes at Anderson's screwed-up expression. "What?"

"I just can't imagine you as a dad, that's all," he shook his head. "Guess I'll just have to get used to it now, though."

Nick chuckled, turning to the front of the room as Bogo paced in, his face locked in an even tighter frown than usual.

"Listen up! Shut it!" he stalked to the podium, hitting the lights on the way. Nick's gut tightened as Bogo flipped the switch to bring down the screen; the system had been installed just before his and Judy's wedding, and was only used in the biggest cases. He pressed another button to turn on the projector, starting a bit when he turned to the screen as the projector powered on. A blue poster was taped to the screen, covered in big silver foam star stickers, 'Judy had the baby!' splashed across it in glittery gold letters.

"Oh, I see," he turned to Nick, inclining his head a fraction. "Congratulations, Wilde."

Nick's ears flicked as several other officers offered their good wishes, and he threw up a paw in a casual wave.

"Thanks everyone!"

Bogo cleared his throat as the new wave of chatter died down, peeling off the poster and tossing it on one of the tables at the front of the room, bringing up a shot on the projector screen that had many in the room sucking in a breath or leaning back in their chairs. The image showed a small to medium mammal lying on its stomach, and that was the most anyone could tell. What fur was left on the body was so matted and clumped with blood it was impossible to make out what color it had been, and there were only ragged stumps where the tail and paws should have been. The head had been removed as well, though with how jagged the wound was, it was impossible to discern whether it had been cut off, or ripped off.

"This is the first of six known bodies attributed to a mammal who called themselves The Reaper," Bogo explained. Even he looked close to blanching. "Unfortunately, we were never able to find this killer, and the case has been cold for the past twenty years."

Several in the room let out low whistles. Since its formation, the ZPD had rarely met a case they hadn't been able to solve, and this looked to be the worst on that short list. Bogo cleared his throat again, and Nick noticed the buffalo was doing his best to avoid looking at the screen, and the extra-stiff set of his huge shoulders told him the old case hit closer to home than the Chief was letting on. And when the next image came up, he was sure he wasn't the only one who had to clap a paw to his mouth to hold back his lunch.

 _O-Oh my_ god…

This mammal was completely bald, the set of stumps even more ragged and torn. Other patches of flesh also seemed to have been ripped off, almost like the killer had put their teeth to work on the corpse, many of those spots going clear down to the bones. Nick forced himself to swallow the burning at the back of his throat, shuddering as he swiped the back of that paw across his cheek. With the degree of degeneration, it looked like the mammal had lain there for weeks, possibly even a month or two before they'd been discovered.

"Trust me when I say it only gets worse from here," Bogo spoke up. He jabbed a hoof toward the screen, seeming to consciously come just short of touching it. "I've set aside a special team to deal with the few cold cases we have, and _this_ is now their priority number one!"

He thumbed through the papers in front of him.

"Anderson, Wolfard, Dunlap, Wilde, Sweetwater," he held up a file. "You five will be responsible for finding this killer, dead or alive!"

"Yes, Sir!" a chorus of shouts, then Nick slid off his chair, following the rest of his new team as the Chief doled out the rest of the room's assignments. Alfred Dunlap and Julianna Sweetwater had been part of his class, and two of the mammals who'd given him the hardest time. She was a tall, fairly attractive brown mare with a black mane and tail, a small white diamond in the middle of her forehead. He was a sun bear with glasses and lighter than average fur, his distinct markings almost white. He also had quite the grudge against Nick, having been one of the mammals who'd claimed cheating was the only way the fox had excelled like he had. She hadn't gone quite that far, though Nick was sure she still thought it, settling instead for just making life at the academy difficult for him. It wouldn't be easy working with them, but if Bogo trusted their skills enough to put them on this job, then he would, too. It helped he also had Tony and Allan, two mammals who'd proven they'd have his back no matter what; he just hoped it wouldn't end up leading to the team being split down the middle on everything.

"Okay, so how do we get started on this?" Allan was the first to speak up when they reached an empty conference room. Tony flipped through the file again, still unable to keep himself from gagging.

"I remember my dad talking about this case when I was a cub," he tossed the folder on the table. "He had to go to therapy for months, and he still can't think about it without getting all PTSD on us."

"I don't blame him," Allan shivered, tucking his tail in his lap as he sat down. "My family had just moved here when that whole thing started, my mom was so worried one of us might get taken, I'm surprised she let us out of the house for school!"

Sweetwater groaned.

"Okay, we get it, this case is bad and the killer's a psycho," she slapped her hooves on the table. She and Dunlap were the only ones still standing. "But our job _isn't_ to talk about it, our job is to _find_ whoever was behind it and bring them to justice."

"If they're even still around," Nick spoke up, ignoring the stares they both sent him. "They could've easily skipped town in the last twenty years, changed their identity, gotten some kind of plastic surgery. Hell, they could even be _dead_ by now for all we know."

"Nick's right," Tony tapped the folder. "This is going to be even harder than it was back then, because not only do we only have photos and reports to work with, a lot of the mammals involved are already dead, and tracking down the ones that are still alive would take too much time. There's no guarantee they'd even remember something that might be useful."

"Though I don't see how anyone could forget something like _that,_ " Dunlap glanced at the folder, then shook his head. "So, how _are_ we supposed to get started on this?"

Tony shrugged.

"Just…review the reports and evidence, I guess. Who knows, we might even find something the original team missed."

The five of them glanced at each other, then Nick got up and headed back to the door.

"I'll go and get what I can from the evidence locker," he pulled out his phone. "I might even know someone who can help us."

Allan shook his head as the fox stepped out, then turned to Tony.

"That guy always seems to know someone…"

Dunlap turned to them.

"I'm guessing Hopps is the only reason he even got _in_ the academy to start with?"

Tony narrowed his eyes.

"She gave him a sterling recommendation, but everything else was solely him."

The bear scoffed.

"Like something as puny as a fox could get through the academy," he shook his head. "And speaking of puny, how many instructors did Hopps have to sleep with to get in, and then through?"

Tony flashed his teeth.

"Nick and Judy are some of the best cops this city has seen, their species have nothing to do with it."

Sweetwater laughed.

"You really expect us to believe those two quarter pints managed to get through the academy on their own? Please," she laughed again, shaking her head. "They're barely even qualified to be token hires!"

Dunlap nodded.

"And if that wasn't enough, they decided to pollute the city's gene pool with that little freak kit of theirs," he snorted in disgust. "And considering what the _last_ bunny-fox thing did, it wouldn't surprise me at all if that _thing_ ended up a kidnapper or murderer."

He drew back when Allan growled, the bear's expression shifting quickly to a self-satisfied grin.

"Don't try to intimidate me, wolfie," he started. "You're just as bad as they are."

Tony's ears flicked back against his head as Allan growled again, his claws dragging along the tabletop as his fist clenched. A second of silence later, he shoved back his chair and stormed to the door.

"I'm gonna go help Nick with the evidence," he glared at them over his shoulder. "I'll be back."

He stalked out, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

"They started up the second you left the room," Allan explained. He and Nick had been looking through the archives for almost fifteen minutes. "Then they started attacking Judy, too, and even your son!"

Nick's face stayed blank, but it was hard to miss how the tip of his tail started snapping at the air. He'd told all of them how much of a hell those two had made things for him, and that after he'd been blown off the first time, he hadn't bothered to complain about it again. He moved to a new length of shelf and scanned the row of boxes; it hadn't taken long to find the right case number, but they'd decided to use the search time to get some things off their chests.

"I'm not surprised, those two are some of the most closed-minded mammals I've ever met," he shook his head. Allan looked at him.

"They've been going after you guys for years," he said. "Why haven't you ever gone to Bogo about it?"

"What's the point?" Nick sighed, stretching a kink out of his back as he straightened. He didn't usually feel like he was starting to push forty, but once in a while, like when he was slumped over for an extended length of time, he'd feel sore in a place he never had before. He just hoped it wouldn't get in the way too much once Terrance started walking. He shoved out a breath, letting his searching paw fall limp to his side. "The whole precinct knows I never would've been allowed near the academy if Judy hadn't come along, and it took her several tries _and_ Lionheart's little initiative for them to even _look_ at her application!"

He slammed the side of his fist against the shelf, hissing sharply through his teeth as he jerked his bruised paw back toward him. Allan just stood by, ears flat and tail limp as he watched one of his closest friends suffer. When Nick's deep, ragged breaths had slowed, he finally stepped forward, putting a paw on the vulpine's shoulder. He allowed himself just part of a second to admire the solid muscle under the smaller male's fur, tightening his grip when Nick tried to roll him off.

"You really think I'm gonna let you get away with talking about yourself like that, about Judy?" he took his paw away, crossing his arms. "I've known you both for years now, Nick, and everything I thought about you is just as true now as it was the day we met."

He narrowed his eyes at the fox's blank look.

"You're awesome at planning things," he started. "You come up with strategies no one's ever thought of before, and so far almost _none_ of them have failed. You keep your head no matter what's going on, and you're able to take control of things no matter where it's needed."

He swallowed.

"Judy doesn't let anything get in her way, and she'll do whatever it takes to help someone. Yeah, she can be pretty reckless," he managed a light chuckle, then cleared his throat. "But sometimes diving in head first is the only way you'll get anywhere, and while she might bend the rules, she never breaks them."

He focused back on Nick, any trace of humor gone.

"And you two balance each other out perfectly. We might never have found all those missing mammals back then, or figured out who was really behind it all," he smiled again. "The same goes for the Savage and Runes case: if it weren't for you two, there's a good chance we wouldn't have gotten to those kids in time. I doubt that crazy bear would've let them out alive."

His tail flicked behind him when Nick still didn't answer, the look on his face that half-blank one that said he was trying to hide how he really felt. Their whole group had been excited when he'd stopped wearing that mask most of the time, not long after he and Judy had officially started dating. Shoving out a breath, Allan stepped toward him, putting a paw on his shoulder; and at least this time, Nick didn't try to shake him off.

"You and Judy are an amazing team, and none of us would be surprised if you both ended up precinct captains someday," he smiled again. "I'd say you have an equal shot at becoming Chief at some point, that is, if we can ever get Bogo to give it up."

His grin widened when Nick actually laughed, short as the sound had been. He tightened his grip, then stepped back, grabbing the case box they needed, set on a shelf just out of the fox's reach.

"But if you still don't feel like letting him know about all this, I can't say I understand, but I can promise I won't force you," he tucked the box beneath his arm and held out a paw. "It's your choice."

He hated the hesitation in Nick's eyes, but then he reached out and took Allan's paw, shaking it firmly.

"Thanks, Tails, I guess I really needed to hear that," his ears flicked as his gaze locked on the number scrawled across the label. "Now let's go catch us a killer."

Allan laughed, clapping him once on the back.

"There's the Nick Wilde I know," he turned and headed for the door. "Let's see what we can find."


	4. Parental Worries

_And Nick thinks_ I _eat a lot…_

This was already the fourth or fifth time Terry had nursed today, and he still didn't seem to show any signs of slowing down. Judy sat back against the arm of Genevieve's couch, the news on mute as she gently rocked the kit nuzzled in her chest. It wasn't that she didn't love her son, she'd been thrilled to find out she was pregnant, especially after several doctors had told her it wasn't likely to happen, or that they'd recommend abortion if it did.

Tybalt and Joshua had pretty much vanished from the public consciousness, and as far as she knew, the kids who'd been born after their spree had no idea how they'd really been conceived, and she doubted they ever would. She supposed it didn't really matter, since those two were long dead, and that predator/prey relations were better than they'd ever been before. There'd even been many interspecies couples who'd gone public, some after being together a decade or more.

So then, why did she feel guilty about having this baby?

Was it because she was just lying here in her mother-in-law's apartment, while Nick and their friends were out potentially risking their lives on the streets? Police work wasn't quite as dangerous, or exciting as TV and movies led mammals to believe, but there was always a chance even the most routine call could go wrong, that another family would go to bed without their loved one. It was the risk they all accepted when they applied to the academy, one she was still more than willing to take.

She was surprised when the thought caused a twinge of pain in her chest, when she looked down at the newborn that had stopped nursing and was now fussing restlessly in her arms. Sighing, she held him to her shoulder, thankful for the old paw towel Genevieve had passed her as she patted her son's back, her ear twitching when he finally let out a deceptively loud belch. Something she was sure he'd gotten from her side of the family. She cleaned off his mouth, lightly dragging her chin across his head to scent-mark him before laying him down in his bassinet, once again provided by his grandmother.

 _What is wrong with me?_

She slid down until her head hit the pillow she'd been sitting against, turning her back to her kit as she tried to get comfortable. After six years on the force, she'd thought she was finally ready to slow down a bit, but here she was, not even a week after starting her family with Nick, and part of her was already starting to regret the choice. It was the same one that had made her so single-minded about achieving her dream that she'd left behind anything that got in the way of it. Friends, romance, a social life, free time, things she hadn't cared about even after that badge had been pinned to her chest, not until a sly fox had sauntered into her life, turning almost everything she'd thought she'd known completely inside out.

She loved him for it, there was no doubt about that, and she'd done her best to shrink that part of her she now saw as blind, even selfish. She cringed as she remembered some of the things she'd done, all so nothing would ruin her already slim chances of being accepted, even after Lionheart had implemented his Mammal Inclusion Initiative. There hadn't been any stealing or cheating, but there had been lies, including one big enough to almost rip her family right down the middle. But even after she'd paid for those mistakes, because that was exactly what they'd been, she hadn't been able to let go of the guilt. Instead, she'd let it get to her, to the point that she'd staked her badge on a case barely a weekend after she'd gotten it, then had given it up when her own naivety and nerves had made her blunder her first press conference. When she'd hurt not only the first mammal who'd really believed in her, the same one she'd blackmailed into helping her in the first place, but the entire city she'd only just started to call her home.

 _Maybe I just wasn't meant to have kits…_ she squeezed her eyes shut as the tears started, feeling them drip across her twitching nose. At least Genevieve had stepped out for a couple hours, the last thing she wanted was to have to explain these feelings to anyone. She'd give herself time to deal with them first, and if, after a certain time, it wasn't working, then she'd open up about them. _I don't need anyone worrying about me, not when there are more important things happening._

* * *

She woke up to crying, crying and lowered voices. Her ears snapped toward the sounds as she slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes and yawning deeply as she stretched. Nick and his mother were talking in the kitchen, the same place Terry's cries were coming from. Not bothering to check what time it was, she slipped off the couch and padded silently to the bathroom, loving how easy it was to climb on the fox-sized toilet now that she didn't have a kit in her belly to worry about. That had to be the best she'd slept in months, since now she didn't have to wake up every other hour to pee without risking wet sheets in the morning. Several of her sisters and girl friends had gotten night sweats while pregnant, but since Nick kept their bedroom so cold at night, probably so she'd have no choice but to cuddle with him, that was at least one thing she hadn't had to worry about.

 _Now I just have_ this _to worry about…_ she put a paw on her stomach, still swollen and tender. It drove her nuts, not having the six-pack she'd worked so hard for, but with her diet and fitness regime, she knew it wouldn't be long before she got it back. She just had to let her body do its thing first, even if it would take a while to work back up to where she'd been. Or maybe she'd ask Nick how many kits he wanted to have, just get all that out of the way now so she wouldn't have to keep yo-yoing.

But wait, hadn't she been feeling guilty about having Terry a few hours ago? She shook her head, deciding it had just been her lack of sleep catching up to her. That could make anyone start thinking crazy, she reasoned, not to mention the stress of being a new parent, even if she wasn't alone. There was still about two months left in her maternity leave, that was plenty of time to get her head sorted out, not to mention find a daycare center that would take a hybrid kit who would likely still be nursing.

 _Speaking of which…_

She finished up in the bathroom and headed to the kitchen, where Nick and Genevieve were sitting at the table, Terry lying contentedly in the crook of her arm.

"Hey, you're up," Nick smiled at her, though something seemed off about it. The expression faded as he nodded toward their son. "Mom was just telling me how many times he's eaten today."

"I know, I was just thinking about it," she didn't bother pulling out another chair, instead climbing into his lap and making herself at home. "I just remembered something Dr. Hayworth and I talked about, when he brought Terry back from the nursery."

She glanced at Genevieve, who was off in her own little world as she gazed at her first grandkit.

"He said Terry likely wouldn't get everything he needs from me, and that unless I wanted to nurse him almost constantly, I'd have to give him fox formula," she put a paw over her face, shaking her head. "I can't believe it took me so long to remember."

Nick wrapped his arms around her, laying his snout between her ears.

"We can get some on the way home," he said softly, then sighed. "But I'll probably have to go back in once I've dropped you two off."

"What?" she turned to face him, ignoring how the edge of the table bit into her back. He sighed again.

"Bogo put me on the new cold case squad," he explained. "And this first one's a mess."

His life on the streets had given him the stomach for all kinds of things, so she knew it had to be bad when he visibly shuddered.

"I was twelve when it was all going down, the Reaper case…"

She gulped.

"I had to study that one for my extra course at the academy, they actually won't let most cadets see it because it's so…gruesome," she shivered, nestling closer to him. "Some of the others in the class almost dropped out because of it."

"I had to study it, too," he nudged back from the table, keeping her in his arms as he went to the living room. "At least this time I was able to stop myself from throwing up, but I'm sure I'll still have nightmares about it later."

"I know I did," she shivered again. "Hopefully you'll be able to find who was behind it. Who's on the squad with you?"

"Tails, Tony, Sweetwater and Dunlap," his lips curled in a sneer at the last two names. They'd been after him since the academy, and from the texts she'd gotten from Tony and Allan the past few weeks, they'd started in on her as well, and now their son. She pulled out of her thoughts as Nick kept talking. "Working with them's not gonna be easy, but if Buffalo Butt trusts them on this case, then so do I."

That was another thing that had changed about him, she'd noticed. As much of a hard time as he still gave Bogo, and really the whole precinct, he'd come to respect the Chief enough not to disregard his orders if he didn't agree with them, even if there was still a problem, as she and their friends saw it. No matter what some of the officers said about him, even when they went so far as to try assaulting him, he refused to submit a complaint about it, saying there wouldn't be any point, since so much of the upper brass was still prejudice against foxes, and rabbits, for that matter.

 _I guess he'll never be able to fully trust the system,_ she thought. _But then, I don't think I would, if I'd been treated that way for so long._

She put a paw on his chest, feeling his heart under her fingers. Sure, it beat differently for every species, but they all still bled if they were cut. They were all still mammals, so why were there some who just refused to treat them that way?

 _Looks like I'll just have to take care of that myself,_ she stretched up, kissing the underside of Nick's chin. _And we'll see how long they last._


	5. That Creeping Sense

Nick leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms over his head, wincing when he heard his back pop. That had started back in his late twenties, and in the last few years especially, had just gotten more frequent. He guessed it had to do with the fact he spent more of his time hunched over a desk than he ever had in his life since he'd started this job, and the fact he spent most of his nights curled up in a ball around Judy. He didn't even try stopping the smile on his lips as he thought of her, how it had already been two weeks since she'd had Terrance; he chuckled as he remembered just how eager she was to get back to work.

 _'_ _I'm getting so fat just laying around here,'_ she'd complained to him last night. He'd been in the middle of making dinner when she'd come in, Terry curled up in the baby carrier she'd made with a thin, soft blanket, just one of many tricks Fru-Fru had taught her. He hadn't been too subtle when he'd looked her over, noting how she was still mostly long, lean muscle, and openly wondering if she'd ever had an ounce of fat on her to start with.

 _'_ _It's kind of impossible when you grow up on a farm,'_ she'd explained. She'd grabbed one of the bottles she'd prepped that morning, so she wouldn't have to try manipulating a can of fox formula nearly half her size around the kit cradled snugly to her chest. They'd just gotten him on a schedule of nursing in the morning, a mix at lunch and straight formula at night, followed by a smaller bottle of water to help clean his mouth before they put him to bed. _'And even when my mom was pregnant, she never really had time to sit down and rest, there was always so much to do.'_

She'd strolled to the fridge and filled it from the filtered tap, there'd been a scare of too much metal in the city's water the year before, and they'd needed a new one anyway, then climbed on the stool they left by the counter. She'd mixed it and set the bottle in the warmer, Terry wouldn't eat if it were chilled, gently bouncing him as he'd started fussing.

 _'_ _You're really starting to get the hang of this parenting thing, Fluff,'_ he'd smiled at her, sneaking a kiss to the side of her head as he'd reached over to grab something on the counter behind her. She'd blushed, playfully swatting him with one of her ears.

 _'_ _I've had a lot of practice,'_ she'd taken the bottle from the warmer, sitting back and making herself comfortable. It had been a few minutes until Terry had accepted it, but it hadn't lasted long once he'd started. She'd chuckled. _'I'm sure my mom would've loved it if some of us ate that fast.'_

He was pulled out of his thoughts when a paper ball beamed him in the back of the head, and he looked to see Tony smirking over at him.

"I thought you'd gotten past the whole 'slacking off' thing?"

Nick rolled his eyes.

"I'll never get fully past it, or I wouldn't be me," he spun his chair around, throwing an arm over the back. "What's up?"

"Al and I were gonna try this new pred place on the next street," he said. "Wanna check it out with us?"

Nick's tail flicked lazily behind him, Tony smirking again when the fox's stomach growled.

"Looks like your gut decided for you," he chuckled, then pulled out his phone. "He just went to get a table, I'll tell him you're coming."

Nick nodded, turning back to his desk.

"I've still got some crap to finish here," he said. "I'll just meet you out front in ten."

He saw Tony's reflection shrug in his monitor.

"Sounds good to me," he walked away, throwing up a paw in a casual wave. "See you then!"

* * *

Blue Fang's had only been open a few weeks, and was already well on its way to becoming one of the prime watering holes for the fine mammals of the ZPD. Nick leaned back in his slightly oversized chair, listening as Tony, Allan and a few others who'd ended up joining them beat the wind.

"I know I don't envy you guys," Jeremy spoke up. He'd been the first to order a round, and was already on his way to being plastered. "I didn't even know we _had_ cases that bad!"

"That's because you never paid attention to the news," his older brother, Jared, cut in. The two had been in the same class at the academy, Jared being at the top while Jeremy had just made it into the first tier. He wasn't a bad cop, per se, he just had trouble picking up on the smaller details, which in many cases could make all the difference between capturing the perp and them slipping through the ZPD's fingers.

"Speaking of news," Allan turned to Nick. "How are the precinct's newest parents?"

Nick messed around with his Coke, dragging a claw through the condensation on the side, then in the small puddle forming around the base of the glass.

"It's…just something that happened with Carrots earlier…" it took him a while to continue. "I went to kiss her like I always do when I leave, and she just…scowled at me, like I'd just thrown Terry against the wall or something."

There was an audible thump as several tails around the table dropped in shock.

"What the heck?" Jared blinked. "That doesn't sound like her at all!"

"No, it doesn't," Yamal spoke up. He was a dingo and a recent transfer from Precinct Twelve in Sahara Square. Nick and the rest of the crew weren't too sure about him yet, but there hadn't been any cause to distrust him so far. "You two have a fight or something?"

Nick shook his head.

"She seemed upset when we went to bed last night, but she wouldn't say anything when I asked," he scratched the side of his muzzle. "She's been acting like that a lot lately, now that I think about it."

Jared and Yamal glanced at each other.

"My wife started acting strange after she had our cubs," Jared turned to him. "How long did you say this has been happening?"

"Uh, just a few days," Nick messed with his drink again. "Terry's two weeks old, and she was stuck in the hospital for about four months before that, I think she's just getting stir-crazy."

Yamal bit his lip.

"I haven't really met her yet, but from what you've all told me, being a cop's pretty much all she ever wanted. From the sound of it, she didn't even think about having a life outside of it until after she met you," he focused on Nick. "She might just be going stir-crazy, but maybe it's something else."

Nick cocked his head, one ear falling to the side.

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Yamal played with his paws. "Maybe she's depressed. Like Jared said, it can happen."

Nick had to admit he hadn't even considered it, but Yamal made a good point. Since she was nine, and likely even earlier, Judy had had a single-minded ambition: to be a police officer, and she'd pushed forward with that dream even when it had been just out of reach. And he was sure that, if Lionheart hadn't passed that Inclusion thing of his, she would have gone right to her grave regretting that she'd never achieved it. It was also likely she would've hated herself until then for not being good enough, just like how he'd ended up after the Junior Ranger Scouts.

 _Can't believe I never thought about it before,_ he pulled out his phone and texted her mother, figuring that, with the insane number of bunnies in that family, there had to be as least one who'd gone through it. He also figured it would be a while, probably even days before he got an answer, and he just hoped he'd be able to wait without going nuts. _I just hope that's all it is…_

* * *

Judy scent-marked Terry's forehead before laying him back in his carrier, leaving the bathroom behind and grabbing a basket from one of the stacks by the doors. It seemed like grocery shopping and the occasional walk with Nick in the park near their loft were the only times she was out now, the last two weeks being more exhausting than she wanted to admit. She didn't have to nurse him quite as much since they'd added the fox formula to his diet, but she'd still had to get up more than once in the dead of night to change him, or even just rock him because he couldn't sleep. Sure, Nick helped as much as he could, having taken on more of the cooking and cleaning than any of her sisters' husbands had, even with all the time he had to put in for that cold case at work.

The first thing she got was the formula, since she had to set the basket on the floor to be able to handle the oversized can. Terry whined as she accidentally jostled him, and she sighed in relief when he settled down after fussing for a minute. Taking the basket in paw again, she added a fox-sized carton of almond milk, two boxes of rice and a bag of apples on her way to the fish and poultry department. When they'd first started dating, Nick had tried to avoid eating meat in front of her, and while it had disturbed her the first few times she'd seen him, it hadn't taken her long to get used to it. He needed the protein and other nutrients it provided, and she wasn't about to let him feel ashamed for it.

She grabbed a package of chicken thighs, ignoring the disgusted looks as she set it in the basket, deftly avoiding an older ram who tried to sideswipe her with his cart. She and Nick had gone through hell to be together, and she wasn't about to start caring what anyone else might have thought.

 _I love him,_ she let a small blush hit her ears. _And he loves me, and that's all that matters._

"Oh, excuse me."

She jumped a bit, turning to see a rather handsome buck smiling at her. He was a full head taller and unusually jacked for a bunny, his white T-shirt and light-wash jeans a contrast to his solid dark gray coat. His warm blue-green eyes sparkled a bit as he looked her over, a small shiver running down her spine when they met hers.

"Name's Nate," he held out a paw, his lips still curled in that grin as she, somewhat hesitantly, reached to shake it.

"J-Judy," she cleared her throat, her ears heating further when he lightly squeezed her paw before letting go. She curled that same paw under her son when he started fussing again, drawing Nate's gaze to the pastel green blanket tied across her chest, then to the basket clutched at her side. He didn't say anything, though, pulling a card from his pocket and passing it to her.

"I'm still kinda new in town," he winked with a click of his tongue. "Call me if you ever need any wiring done, or just feel like lunch."

He looked her over one last time before heading off, his long stride smooth and confident. Judy stared down at the card he'd left in her paw: Nathan Kent, certified electrician, along with his email and cell number. Nick was one of those mammals that did a bit of everything, but electricity had never been one of his strong suits, it might be a good idea to keep Nate's number handy. But the way he'd looked at her…

She shivered again, tucking the card in her pocket as she continued to the self-checkout. Bucks had been looking at her like that since high school, along with males of a few other species, but she'd never paid them any attention. She'd been so obsessed with achieving her dream, she hadn't even spared a second to think about love until she'd met Nick, or more accurately, when he'd gone off to the academy a scant four months after they'd reconciled. But even then, it had taken being kidnapped for her to realize how she'd really felt about him, and almost losing him to finally push back against the customs she'd simply been running from. And something in her gut told her Nate hadn't even bothered to notice the rings that adorned her left paw.

She rang up her items, splitting the load in half instead of cramming it all in one bag like she usually did. It would be a little trickier getting home, not having a free paw, but there was less of a chance one of the bags would rip, leaving her essentially screwed. At least this store was close enough that she didn't have to worry about getting on any buses or expressways. It also left her with less time to think about what had happened with Nick earlier, the look on his face when he'd seen the glower on hers.

The annoyance had hit her out of nowhere, as she'd thought about how many weeks she had left in her leave. She was getting so tired of just sitting at home, but they'd decided to finally start saving for a second car, which meant money was tight. Normally, it wouldn't be a problem, since she'd always had plenty of free and cheap ways to stay occupied: jogging a few laps around the park, going to museums and galleries when they offered half-off admission for city employees, even just heading to the mall for a day of window shopping. But now she had Terry to take into consideration, and she was still recovering from giving birth to him in the first place.

It wasn't that she regretted having him, she just couldn't stop thinking about all the things she was missing at work, all the mammals that were on the streets right now, selling drugs to anyone they could, including kids, because there was one less officer out there to catch them. Two, since Stephanie and Ben still had another week on their honeymoon. And there was the fact she couldn't stop worrying about Nick, even with twenty years on the streets, and now five on the force under his belt. She knew he could handle himself, whether physically or with that easy, silver-tongued charm of his, but in their world that didn't always matter. No matter how good they were, mammals could always be caught off-guard, unprepared, and there would always be someone better. At least before, even after they'd had to stop being partners, she'd been able to be there for him, and the rest of their friends when she needed to, but not anymore, not in the way they'd all been used to.

She set one of the bags down when she reached their door, pausing to wipe the spit-up from Terry's cheek before reaching for her keys. She wondered, was she just getting bored, letting her eagerness to get back to work get the better of her, or, just maybe, could it be something else? She snorted, laughing at herself for even thinking of it.

 _Please,_ she dropped her keys in the bowl, then kicked the door lightly shut behind her. _I'm Judy Wilde, and I do_ not _get depressed._


	6. A Special Night

Nick dropped his keys in the bowl by the door, his ears flicking when he noticed how quiet it was. Normally, Judy would have the television or radio going, or even just her iPod hooked up to a small speaker as she messed around somewhere. He wondered if it was because she'd never liked total silence, growing up where she had it had probably never happened, even with it being out in the country. He loosened his tie as he strolled to their bedroom, pausing at the cracked open door when he heard Judy talking softly beyond it.

"Y-You should've seen his face this morning, Fru-Fru," was she crying? "H-He looked so scared!"

 _"_ _Oh, sweetie, I'm sure it wasn't that bad,"_ Fru-Fru answered soothingly. Nick had been wary about the two keeping up their friendship, and while he was still worried that Big might try to take advantage of it, he wasn't going to try and control who she spent her time with. Judy sniffled.

"Y-Yes, it was!" she was struggling to keep her voice down. A peek across the short hall told him Terry was asleep in his crib. "I-I don't know what's going on with me, I-it's almost like I'm starting to resent him or something!"

Those words cut him straight through the gut, but he stayed where he was and kept listening. He wasn't about to run away without getting the whole story, not this time.

 _"_ _Well…are you?"_ the little shrew asked after a minute. Nick held his breath, almost fearing the answer.

"Of course not," the stutter was gone. "I love him, it's just…"

She dragged in a breath, letting it out in a long, slow sigh.

"I guess I'm just…jealous, or something, I don't know," there was a rustle, like she'd shook her head. "I mean, he still gets to go out every day and see the city, do the job I spent my whole life preparing for, while I'm stuck in this loft!"

So that was the reason, or at least part of it. He was about to walk away, ideas for things they could do already spinning through his head, when soft, high laughter made him stop.

 _"_ _Oh, Ju-Ju, you don't have to stay in the loft all day! What made you think you did?"_

"B-But," Judy swallowed. "W-We just started saving up to get another car, and I haven't gotten my full salary in months, m-money's just been so tight that I-"

Fru-Fru laughed again.

 _"_ _That's what a rich bestie like me is for, silly, I've always had more cash than I know what to do with!"_ she giggled. _"Why do you think my other girl friends and I are always shopping?"_

"Oh…" she trailed off, and Nick could envision the pale pink blush in her ears. "Well, that is, I-I never wanted to…"

 _"_ _Tell you what, sweetie,"_ Fru started. _"I'll pick you up Wednesday at ten, and we'll spend the day doing whatever you've been missing the last few months. We can catch up_ and _little Nikki can get to know her new boyfriend!"_

He remembered when Fru-Fru had called them up, saying she and Ruben were expecting their second, and how they'd decided to name her after her godfather. Terrance hadn't been officially baptized, that just wasn't something foxes or rabbits did, but Judy had told him since they'd agreed to try for kits that she'd ask the couple to be the godparents, though she wouldn't stop him from asking other mammals if he felt the need to. As far as they knew, there wasn't some ironclad rule that said a kit could only have one of each, and she wanted to ensure any kits they did have would be well cared-for, should anything happen to either, or god forbid, both of them.

 _"_ _I'm not really giving you any choice in the matter, Ju-Ju,"_ Fru went on. _"It's not good to let yourself go stir-crazy!"_

Nick could hear Judy still trying to stutter out excuses, finally heading back to the kitchen when she agreed to the day out. He hadn't realized just how unfair he'd been to her the last few weeks, or months, if he were completely honest with himself. He'd probably been stressing more about the baby than she had, and had started burying himself in work as a result. The backlog he'd built up had run out just in time for him to be stuck on the new cold case squad, and with several other officers being out at the moment, combined with their more limited funds, he wasn't sure if he could afford to take time off. But he'd been neglecting Judy way too long already, and surely Bogo could spare him for just one weekend, right?

 _I'll bring it up with him next time I report on our progress,_ he took off his tie, looping it over the back of a chair. It was his turn to cook tonight, and he was going to do his best to spoil her rotten.

* * *

Judy came out of their bedroom, stopping when her nose was hit by a delicious myriad of smells: roasted vegetables, something nutty and almost tangy she couldn't quite place, all mixed with one of her favorite scents in the world.

 _I talked to Fru-Fru longer than I thought._

She headed to the kitchen, smiling when she saw Nick bend down in front of the stove, a light metallic scrape sounding as he pulled a covered pan from the oven. He hadn't been much for cooking when they'd met, but the first time they'd gone to Bunnyburrow together, her mother had taken him under her wing, and while he was still far from being a world-class chef, she'd be hard-pressed to find any of his dishes unappetizing. He set the pan on a hot plate and turned off the oven, his tail waving lazily behind him as he checked the two on the stove.

"Wow, what's the occasion, Slick?"

One ear cocked back at her voice, but he didn't answer until he'd made sure everything else was off, a habit he'd picked up after almost setting his shirt on fire the first time he'd helped his mom in the kitchen.

"I…overheard part of your chat with Fru-Fru," he admitted, sounding guilty. He turned to face her, rubbing a paw along the back of his neck. His sleeves were rolled up, his white undershirt showing through his unbuttoned uniform. He sighed, letting his paw drop. "I'm sorry for ignoring you, Judy."

She shook her head, coming over to wrap her arms around his lean waist, nuzzling her face into his firm lower chest.

"I haven't really been helping too much there, Slick," she murmured, reveling in his warmth. She tilted her head back, her chin still resting on his stomach. "I've just been going a little…stir-crazy."

She knew the look her eyes must have had, the slight glaze that told him she wasn't saying everything, but he'd apparently decided not to pry, at least for now. Instead, he stooped down and hooked his large, strong paws around her thighs, catching her lips with his as he brought her slowly up to his level, a sweet shudder caressing her spine as she felt every inch of her body drag against his. She grabbed his cheek fur and pulled him in closer, their teeth pressing together before she felt the tip of his tongue against her lips. She let him in eagerly, savoring the sensual touch as an inviting heat began to spread slowly from her core. But it was too soon for anything like that, and she pulled back, just enough to rest her burning nose against his wet, slightly cooler one.

"I love you, Nick," she'd never been more sure of anything. "I love you so much."

He smiled, kissing her gently this time as he set her down, holding her shoulders when she wavered a bit on her feet.

"Mmm, you have no idea how much I missed that," she stepped back as he turned to the food again, that sweet, content grin still playing on his face. She'd been right about the roasted vegetables, she noticed, her eyes widening when he peeled back the foil on the baking pan. Caramelized apples, sprinkled with pecans and brown sugar, the sight of it all making her mouth water. "Oh, Nick, that looks amazing!"

He chuckled, his tail brushing lightly across her feet.

"Mom kept bugging me to try this with you," he looked over his shoulder at her. "And I guess I've been waiting for the perfect excuse."

She shook her head, letting a paw trail along his tail as he walked past her with the plates. He'd added a salmon fillet to his, the lemon and herbs thankfully cutting down on the smell of fish. He set them down at their small table and pulled out her chair, even offering a paw to help her keep her balance. She watched him finish taking off his uniform shirt, loving how the spotless white T-shirt stood out against his russet fur.

 _I am one_ lucky _bunny…_

* * *

Tonight had been absolutely perfect. Judy sat back on her stool by the counter, drying the dishes as Nick washed them, feeling lighter than she had in days.

"Thank you, Nick," she stretched up, setting the last cup on the shelf before closing the cupboard. Nick rinsed the sponge and set it on the little tray by the sink, drying his paws with the towel she tossed over his arm as she hopped to the floor. He caught her just before she reached the living room, sweeping her up into a bridal-style carry and plopping in the recliner. She giggled, resting her head on his shoulder and rooting through the fur of his neck. "For everything."

He wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head.

"You deserve it, Fluff," he murmured happily. "I love you, Judy."

Her heart swelled at the words, and she knew she'd never get tired of hearing them. She tilted her head back and kissed him, the soft, sweet touch lingering until she had to pull away to catch her breath.

"So Fru and I are having a 'girl's day' on Wednesday, apparently," she curled up against his chest. "She wants Terry to meet little Nikki."

He chuckled.

"Hard to believe Baby Carrots is already six," he shook his head. She giggled again.

"You know she hates it when you call her that, Slick, she likes Ju-Ju," she brushed a paw down his shirt, her mood falling a bit when she felt the old scars underneath it. She'd stopped having nightmares about that day years ago, at least regularly, but seeing them still dredged up the memories, the faded images still able to make her shudder. She didn't want to focus on that now, though, not when they had the present to experience, and the future to look forward to.

"I'll ask Mom if she can watch Terry Saturday night," Nick said suddenly, drawing her attention back to him.

"What?"

"It's been a while since we actually had a night to ourselves," he clarified. "And I feel like we could both use one."

She thought about it, then nodded, laying back on his shoulder.

"That sounds perfect, Slick," she draped her legs across his lap, not bothering to hide her laugh when he brought up his tail to tickle her feet. Her glee then ended up a bit too loud, fading into a groan as their son started crying. "Whoopsie number one."

He chuckled, trailing behind her to the nursery, unable to stop his nose from wrinkling when she pushed the door open.

"And it smells like a double."

She batted him in the side.

"You're just lucky I'm nose-blind to this by now," she picked up their kit and laid him on the changing table, changing him in record time. "You'll get used to it eventually."

"I'm getting there," he walked in and knelt behind her, hugging her hips as she tried to rock their son back to sleep. "Remember I almost threw up the first time I was around when you changed him?"

"I do," she stepped back toward him, humming the lullaby from her favorite movie as a kit. "On the wind, 'cross the sea, hear this song and remember…"

"Soon you'll be home with me, once upon a December," Nick joined in, smiling as their kit nodded off again. Neither of them were mind-blowing singers, but they could stay on key and, from what some of their friends had said, harmonized almost perfectly. She laid Terry back in his crib and pulled up the side, taking Nick's paw as she pulled the door mostly shut.

"You gonna tell me what you have planned for Saturday?" she asked quietly. He smiled.

"I was thinking the same place we had our first date," he shook his head when she tried to protest. "It's been a while since we went out, Carrots, I want it to be special."

She looked at him, then smiled.

"Guess I'll have to see if that dress still fits."

He chuckled, wrapping his tail around her legs.

"I'm sure you'll look as amazing as ever."

* * *

 _Once Upon a December is from the MGM film, Anastasia. She probably would've been a Disney princess had the director, Don Bluth, not left the company in the 80s to make his most well-known film, Secret of NIMH. Both are incredible examples of animation, atmosphere and story-telling, and are two of my personal favorites. I can't recommend them enough._


	7. Seeing Stars

Allan was starting to think this cold case squad was a lost cause, at least as far as this one was concerned.

 _We're already half a month into this thing, and_ still _no new leads…_

He groaned and flopped back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. He and Tony had spent the last week tracking down the few witnesses who still lived in the city, while Sweetwater and Dunlap had gone over the forensics and coronary reports with a fine-toothed comb. Nick had been pitching in wherever he was needed, but his main focus had been meeting with his contacts on the streets, but so far nothing useful had come up, at least for this case.

 _There's gotta be something we're missing here,_ he leaned over his desk, his claws digging into his temples. _How the hell did this guy get away from us?_

He looked up when Nick's scent hit him, seeing the fox stroll in to the conference room they'd claimed as their base. There was a spring in the other male's step that hadn't been there in days, a mischievous shine in his eyes Allan was glad to see.

"Well, look who it is," he sat back, his tail waving lightly behind him. "I guess things went well with Judy last night?"

"You know it," Nick hopped up in one of the empty chairs that lined the long table. "She's going shopping with a friend today, and we've got a date Saturday night."

Allan chuckled, reaching over to clap his friend on the back.

"Glad to hear it," his smile fell. "Now if only this mess would give us some good news."

"I hear you," Nick pulled out his notebook and flipped through a few pages. "I haven't been able to find anything, either."

Allan sorted through the stuff he'd taken from the file: printouts of testimonies from witnesses who'd either moved or died, clipped piles of crime scene photos, the few pieces of physical evidence the original team had managed to find.

"We don't have enough fur to send it in for tests again," he held up the small bag, the hairs inside clumped and still stained with flaking dried blood. "And it's not like the last few rounds brought up anything conclusive, anyway."

His ear flicked as Nick's chair squeaked, the fox standing to lean over the table. The tension in his shoulders when he saw the pictures again was hard to miss, and he started wondering if the case hit closer to home than the other male was letting on.

"Uh, hey, Nick?" he winced a bit when Nick turned to him. That creeping hopelessness in his eyes, even if it was still barely there, was not something he was used to seeing. "Did…you know any of the victims?"

Nick shook his head.

"I didn't even pay attention to all this when it was happening, I had other things to worry about," he swallowed, then shivered a bit. "And as much as I hate saying it, I think we're just wasting our time on this."

He gave a short, bitter laugh.

"I mean, a string of murders this violent, and in almost thirty years we _still_ haven't caught the psycho who did it?" his voice rose with each word. "Hell, we can't even figure out what damn _species_ they were!"

He slammed his paws on the table, causing several things on it to jump. Allan leaned back, the show of temper another thing he wasn't used to, at least since Darwin had been cut from the picture. He couldn't hold back a shudder as he remembered some of the things he'd seen Nick do, and was still sure he'd missed even worse.

"I'll…go let the Chief know we're still at a dead end," he slipped off his chair. Nick didn't protest. "But I'm not quite ready to give up, not just yet."

Nick stayed silent when he stepped out, only to smack snout-first into Tony's stomach.

"Ow," he stepped back, rubbing his nose as he looked up at the tiger. "You wear a steel plate under that thing or something?"

Tony just looked at him, then chuckled.

"Swimming's got a lot of benefits, Tails," he winked and stepped into the room, easing the door shut behind him. Allan tugged at his collar before hurrying up to Bogo's office. He still wasn't fully over his feelings for Nick, he guessed it had something to do with working so closely together the last few years, but he'd noticed his gaze had started to wander more often, usually to one mammal in particular.

 _And I don't even like orange…_

* * *

This had turned out to be just what she'd needed. Judy sat back on the bench, looking down at the cluster of shopping bags by her slightly sore feet. She would've been content with just looking and trying things on, but Fru-Fru had insisted on buying her at least one bag's worth from almost every store they'd visited, and Judy had decided not to question it. She was starting to wonder how she'd get it all to fit in the dresser and closet she shared with Nick, even if her side had always been fairly empty compared to his.

 _Not that he has all that much, either, now that he's finally started getting rid of the stuff that doesn't fit._

His tendency to hoard had been what caused most of their fights when she'd first moved in with him, not that any of them had lasted too long. He wasn't a slob about it, the loft had almost always been spotless when she'd been there before, there had just always been too much stuff. She knew why he did it: leaving home at the age he had, living on the streets for so long, he'd never had a place for things until he'd bought the loft, and had done what lots of lonely mammals did when they had too much space, whether or not they had the cash to match.

It had taken some time for him to learn he didn't need it all, especially now that he wasn't alone anymore. Even then, he'd been reluctant to part with a lot of it, and she hadn't pushed him, knowing it would only help if he made the choice for himself. She hadn't noticed it too much until they'd started setting up the nursery, but the longer their relationship went, the cleaner the place had gotten, and he'd eventually told her it was because he didn't feel empty anymore.

She still blushed when she thought about it, the emotion in his eyes when he'd said that to her, the soft smile on his face as he'd leaned in to kiss her with tender passion. That whole day had been perfect, and the crowning moment had been when he'd proposed to her at sunset.

 _I can't believe that was already two years ago,_ she looked down at the rings adorning her paw. It had only taken them a few weeks to organize everything, since planning her dream wedding had been one of the few things she'd allowed herself growing up that hadn't had to do with becoming the world's first bunny cop. She'd let him have all the input he'd wanted, of course, adding several fox customs that had meshed surprisingly well with the bunny ones she'd chosen, creating a unique and beautiful ceremony the precinct had been buzzing about for weeks afterward. Several newspapers and magazines had even featured it in their society pages, some of which Genevieve had added to the photo album she'd made for their first anniversary.

 _My life's about as perfect as it could get,_ she told herself, bringing her paw down. She had her dream job, an attentive, charming husband and now a healthy, beautiful son, so why did she still feel like something was wrong? _Was I really not meant to have all this?_

That thought and many others had started cycling through her head during her pregnancy, and while she'd been able to ignore them at first, lately it seemed like they were all she could think about. Before Terry had been born, she and Nick had probably spent more time in bed in a week than most couples did in a month, and while she hadn't quit her job so they could start a family, this leave was still the longest break she'd taken in years. She'd spent years putting together a wedding she hadn't even actually planned to have until she'd started crushing on Nick, and then she'd let her family bully her into an arranged marriage that had almost caused both of their deaths.

 _I tried so hard to break the stereotypes thrown at bunnies, and now I'm part of each and every one of them!_

She covered her face with her paws, barely able to hold back the tears. She shouldn't be thinking like this, not when everything was going so well, it just wasn't right!

 _W-What is_ wrong _with me?!_

"Judy?" Fru-Fru walked over and touched her leg, rubbing it comfortingly. "Are you alright, sweetie?"

Trying to catch her breath, Judy looked down at the shrew, wincing when she realized Terrance was crying, and that a bad smell was starting to drift from the kit. Her ears burning, she hooked her paws under him, reaching down to grab her diaper bag, scanning the floor for the nearest restroom.

"Y-Yeah, Fru," she got up, hooking a paw under Terry to help steady him. "I'm fine."

 _I'm just fine._

* * *

"I think I might finally have something."

Tony arranged the pages on the other end of the table, creating a rough map of the Rainforest District, the sites of the bodies circled in blue. Nick thought he could see some kind of pattern, wondering if his eyes were just playing tricks, at least until Tony pulled a light blue marker from his shirt pocket.

"I thought I was seeing things, too, until I tried this," he started at the first site, closest to the wall that separated the district from Tundra Town, following the snatches of road that could be seen through the fractured green blur of the multi-layered canopy. It didn't take him long to connect them all, and the shape that emerged wasn't exactly settling.

"Is that a hexagram?" Nick's voice was low. Tony looked at him.

"I have no idea what that is."

"It's a common symbol in the occult," Nick explained. "One of my old boyfriends was really into it, and he said they're usually used to call up spirits or spiritual forces, or just as some kind of talisman."

He pulled back from the table, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"I'm pretty sure the district wasn't built that way on purpose, and the average mammal wouldn't have any reason to look for a symbol like that," he sighed, letting his paw drop to his side. "I never paid much attention when Connor explained all that stuff, but if you take this _and_ the violence of the murders into account, it's looking like they were trying to prep some kind of ritual."

Tony swallowed.

"You mean like, like black magic and shit?" he questioned, shivering a bit when Nick nodded. "As if this whole thing wasn't screwed up enough…"

"Most mammals don't go for the dark stuff like this, though," Nick went on. "At least not to this extent."

He tapped the map with a claw, then blinked.

"Wait, what's that?" he pulled out his phone and turned on the camera, zooming in as far as he could. There was some kind of structure dead center in the star, invisible unless someone was looking for it. Tony leaned forward to get a closer look, then shrugged.

"I couldn't even begin to tell you," he scratched his cheek. "But something tells me that's not a coincidence, either."

"I'm thinking the same thing," Nick straightened, his ear flicking when an alert showed up on his phone. He grimaced. "Aw, crap, I'm late. How long do you think it'll take to get an address for that place?"

"Shouldn't take more than an hour or so," Tony gathered the papers again. "But, uh, what are you late for exactly?"

"I promised my mom I'd help fix her sink after work, and my shift ended ten minutes ago," he tucked his phone in his pocket. Tony held out a paw when he started going for the mess still on table.

"I'll take care of it, you've already done enough today," he smirked. "And we don't really need your mom calling Bogo again because you stuck around too long."

Even with his red fur, it was easy to see the blush that filled Nick's ears. To this day, his mother called the precinct whenever his name was mentioned in the same news report as a big case, also a few times when his phone had died before he clocked out, or if he'd forgotten to call her on his way home. She was apparently trying to make up for the fact she hadn't been there for him like she should have when he was a kit, and any tries to make her stop had fallen on deaf ears. He huffed.

"Fine, I can see when I'm not wanted," he spun dramatically and went for the door, Tony's chuckle breaking off when it flew open, knocking the fox clean off his feet. It was hard to miss the blood that started trickling from his nose, or the snicker Dunlap barely bothered to hide as he and Sweetwater strolled in. Tony pulled a napkin from his pocket and tore off a piece, passing it to Nick as the fox got shakily back to his feet. He didn't acknowledge the other two mammals in the room. "I'm gonna head out."

Tony waited until he was out of earshot before turning to glare at his subordinates, Sweetwater checking her reflection in a compact while Dunlap polished his glasses.

"You two are really pushing it," he said flatly.

"Just making sure that fox knows his place," she messed with her mane a second longer, then snapped the mirror shut and slipped it in one of the pouches on her belt. Dunlap tucked his cleaning cloth in his jacket.

"And we shouldn't even waste our time on that, anyway, not when _we've_ made a breakthrough in this case!"

Tony rolled his eyes, putting his massive paws on his lean hips.

"Let me guess, you found out the killings may have something to do with an occult ritual."

They stared at him like wings had just sprouted from his ears.

"Nick was able to pick up on that, too," he said. "He, Allan and I are going to check out an address tomorrow, since _you two_ got stuck with parking duty."

She stiffened, then scoffed in disgust.

"I was one of the top recruits in my class," she said haughtily. "My talents shouldn't keep getting wasted on that trash. Besides, that's bunny work."

Dunlap laughed with her, though they at least had enough decency to look worried when a low growl slipped from Tony's throat.

"Al and I aren't the only ones who've reported your stunts to the Chief," he started angrily. "You're _lucky_ all he gave you was a week of writing tickets."

Sweetwater glowered at him, scoffing as she flipped her mane.

"It's not going to change anything," she turned, hooves on her hips as she flicked her tail. "We'll make Bogo see the truth about those two, sooner or later."

Tony barked a fake laugh.

"For your sake, I just hope he doesn't learn the truth about you two first," he stepped past them. "Now if you don't mind, some of us have a job to do."


	8. Tea Lights

Judy was surprised to see Nick in the kitchen when she got home, even more when she noticed the rag he held over his nose.

"What happened to you?"

"I got nailed by a door at work today," he stated flatly. "It just started bleeding again."

She winced.

"That's happened to me before," she set her bags down by the couch, coming into the kitchen to fix Terry's bottle. "I was coming to talk to the Chief about something when Al came out of his office, it took the rest of the shift for him to stop feeling guilty about it."

She climbed on the stool, then leaned over to kiss his cheek.

"It was Sweetwater and Dunlap with me," he said. "Doubt this one was actually on purpose, though, they couldn't have known I was leaving right that second."

"Tony told me they got taken off the case today, and he seemed pretty happy about it," she shook her head, getting Terry settled on her lap before starting to feed him. "I still don't get why you've never tried reporting them again."

He shoved out a sigh.

"Because it wouldn't do anything," he pulled the cloth from his face. "We both know the upper brass still sees me as the token fox, just like half of them still see you as the token bunny."

It was hard to argue with that, unfortunately. Even after everything they'd done for the city: solving big cases, acting as bridges between predators and prey, there were still officers higher up the chain that refused to treat them with respect, and she didn't exactly have faith it would change any time soon.

"Still," she propped Terry on her shoulder, patting his back until he burped. "The Chief isn't like the rest of them, you know that."

"I know, it's just…" he sighed again, his paw clenching around the rag before he threw it in the sink. "I know I can trust him, Judy, it's just most of the others I feel like I can't."

She just watched him pick up the rag again, her eyes locking on the blood stains as he started trying to rinse them out. The next thing she knew, she was back in the parking lot four years ago, the morning after they'd finally admitted their feelings for each other. Darwin had just run off, and Nick was slumped against the side of his car, both paws pressed to his wounds. She was doing everything she could to slow the bleeding, trying to ignore how his grip on her paws just kept weakening.

 _"_ _Nick, just hold on, please!"_

She could hear the sirens in the distance, getting louder every second. Nick gasped as she renewed the pressure on his shoulder, but still managed to flash a smile.

 _"_ _I-It's not as bad as it looks, sweetheart,"_ he told her. _"That gun's too small to do any…real damage."_

At least he was still conscious, she told herself, and he was still able to make jokes, so maybe it really wasn't as bad as she thought. She leaned forward to kiss his cheek, breathing a sigh barely tinged with relief when red and blue lights started reflecting against the car, two cruisers and an ambulance pulling into the lot and screeching to a stop.

The next few minutes were slightly blurred, a coyote EMT having to pry her off Nick as their partner, an elk, tended to him. They applied a pressure wrapping to Nick's shoulder, gingerly picking him up and laying him on the waiting stretcher. Judy finally managed to wriggle out of the coyote's grip, hopping in the back before either of them could say anything. The next thing she remembered was staring at the doors as she fidgeted restlessly in the waiting room, telling whoever had been talking to her about what Darwin had done.

She barely felt the tears on her cheeks, or the paw that came up to wipe them away. Her eyes were locked on the emerald ones staring back at her, full of fear and concern.

"Judy," he took her shoulders, his nose almost brushing hers. "Come on, sweetheart, snap out of it!"

His voice was low, urgent, and she finally managed to come back to the present, sniffling when she realized who it was.

 _I-I almost lost him…_

Whimpering softly, she grabbed his collar and yanked him forward, kissing him desperately. He was quick to return it, taking her waist with one paw as he cupped her cheek with the other, gently marking her when she finally released him.

"I-I almost lost you…"

"I know…" he rested his forehead against hers, still stroking her damp cheek. "But we both survived, it's over now."

She sniffed again, reaching up to grip his paw.

"I-I keep trying to tell myself that, but…" she shook her head, pressing her face into the curve of his muzzle. "I still have nightmares about it, and what would've happened if you'd…if you'd…"

"Shh," he traced a claw over her lips. "I dream about the same thing, sweetheart, and it scares me just as much, but there's nothing we can do about it now, it's in the past."

He kissed her gently, then helped her to the floor.

"I'm gonna get dinner started, why don't you go relax?"

She looked up at him, then nodded, patting Terry's back again as she headed for the nursery. It had actually been months since her last nightmare, she'd been too excited about the arrival of their son, but lately they'd come more often than not, and each time she'd been stuck awake the rest of the night. She'd never considered waking Nick, though, he got little enough sleep as it was, and she didn't want him to start thinking she was needy or couldn't handle a stupid dream.

 _He has his own problems to worry about, he doesn't need mine, too._

* * *

It had taken less time than usual to put Terry down after his bath, their day at the mall must have tired him out as much as it had her. Nick had just set the food on the table when she came back to the kitchen, her eyes widening when she saw tea lights floating in a glass bowl in the center. He smiled when he saw her, pulling out her chair with a small flourish that made her giggle, placing a light kiss between her ears when he gently pushed her back toward the table. He'd switched out his uniform for his dark jeans and black button-up, an outfit she'd loved from the first time she'd seen him in it.

"Nick, what is all this?" she looked down at her bowl, a hearty vegetable soup with a scent that made her mouth water. He flashed that gentle smile again, leaning across the table to take her paw.

"I shouldn't need an excuse to spoil you, sweetheart," he said, squeezing it softly. He sat back, the tiny flames dancing in his eyes as he gazed at her, the emotions reflected there sending her heart racing. She swallowed, nearly choking on the large spoonful, but still moaning in joy at the taste.

"You've really outdone yourself this time, Slick," she took a few more bites. "This is amazing!"

He chuckled.

"My grandma made it all the time," he laughed again. "You would not believe how long it took to get the recipe out of her."

"A lot of my aunts are that way, too," she took a sip of her drink, a sparkling cider that matched the flavors of the soup perfectly. "Even if none of it's really a secret."

She swirled the glass, then set it down, watching her rings glint in the light. As often as the bad dreams came, there were still plenty of good ones: her favorite childhood memories, when she'd started getting respect at the academy, and then when she'd finally graduated. But the best by far were those that involved her husband, whether it was reliving the Missing Mammals case, his training, or even just the quiet moments they'd spent together, even before either of them had realized how they'd truly felt.

"I've never seen that dress before," Nick collected his dishes, his gaze tracing over her curves when he went to the sink. "You look great."

She blushed, finishing her meal and passing her things to him. It was a soft green wrap dress that ended just above her knees, tied with a loose bow high at her side.

"I had a…mishap with a bear-sized iced tea at the mall today," she giggled, leaning over the table to blow out the candles. "Kevin brought his daughter so she could get a dress for her first dance, and when she met us at the food court, she was so excited she ended up knocking it off the table, and on to me."

She winced.

"It was almost empty, but she still had to take me to the restroom so I could shower in one of the larger sinks," she shook her head, pawing the skirt. "This was the cheapest thing Fru let me pick out, and it was the only thing I felt safe wearing until we got back. I'm just glad Kevin was holding Terry so Fru and Nikki could meet him."

She climbed on the stool by the counter, grabbing the dish towel she'd laid out to dry that morning. Watching as he filled the sink and started washing, she was suddenly struck by another wave of…something, she wasn't quite sure. Her mood had been all over the place lately, even more than it already had been since she'd hit her third trimester. She was usually just too busy to think about it.

"So, anything else happen besides your iced tea bath?" he asked with a smirk. She flapped the towel at him.

"We ended up running into an acquaintance of mine," she took her time drying each bowl. "You remember Nate, that buck I told you about?"

"Sort of," he started on the silverware. "He's the wiring guy, right?"

She nodded.

"Yep. Anyway, he hasn't been in town long, so we offered to show him around a bit, that's why we got back so late," she pulled out the drawer to her left and dropped in the spoons. She wasn't too sure, but it seemed like he'd tried making passes at her again, even after he'd seen the kit curled up at her chest, and several of the places they'd gone having played a role in her and Nick's relationship. "Can you believe Terry's three weeks old already?"

"No," he chuckled, picking her up before she had a chance to climb off the stool. She snuggled into his shoulder, taking a pawful of his shirt when he sat down in their recliner. It'd been an impulse buy when he'd gotten his first bonus as a detective, even if they still didn't use it much. "Feels like you just had him yesterday."

She laughed.

"Oh, trust me, it doesn't," she undid his top button, running her claws through his fur. "But I see what you mean."

She popped another button, turning her face into his chest and dragging in a soft breath. The spiciness of his scent mask mingled deliciously with his natural musk, and she couldn't get enough. His arms tightened around her as she kept exploring, a low growl slipping from his throat when her paw brushed against the lip of his jeans.

"God, I wish we didn't have to wait another month…" he traced over her hip and grabbed her thigh, drawing a soft moan from her.

"You and me both," she wriggled until his grip loosened, and she straddled his lap, draping her arms around his neck, leaning in until her nose brushed his. "But that doesn't mean I can't do this…"

She lowered her face the slightest bit, then tilted her head as she kissed him, her next moan hitching slightly when he stroked her tail.

"As much as I love that," he murmured when she pulled back. "It's not really helping."

She swallowed, her breath already heavier.

"I know," she kissed him again, anyway, feeling his arms wrap back around her as she traced her tongue lightly along his lips, a plea he was quick to answer. Her eyes were hot when she ended it, lids heavy as she dragged a single claw slowly down his chest. "But I have to make sure you don't get bored with me, don't I?"

A slow, handsome smile spread across his face.

"That won't happen, sweetheart," he leaned in and licked her neck, nuzzling the heady fur beneath her chin. "Just looking at you is still enough to set me on fire."

She couldn't hold back a giggle.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of your corny lines, either, Slick."

He chuckled.

"Corny or not, it's how I feel," he stroked her cheek with the back of his paw. "You're one of the best things that ever happened to me."

She smiled, her ears heating in a blush.

"That goes for both of us, Nick," she squeaked when he suddenly stood, once again holding her so she reclined in his arms. "Sweet cheese, warn me next time, will you?"

He licked her nose.

"Now what fun would that be?"


	9. Blood in the Garden

"So, where are we going, exactly?" Allan glanced over his shoulder. He and Nick had piled into Tony's unmarked SUV after roll call, and were now headed for the Rainforest District. Nick took a second to finish reading whatever was on his phone, then locked it and tucked it away.

"Tony found a lead yesterday," he explained. "The places where the bodies were found, and the bits of road that can be seen through the canopy between them, make something called a hexagram, a common occult symbol."

"And there's an old warehouse in the dead center of the thing, so now Nick thinks those murders were part of some crazy ritual," Tony glanced in the rearview mirror. Allan stared at him.

"You mean mammals actually _believe_ in all that stuff? It's bullcrap!"

"I know,"Nick leaned forward. "I only know about it because my ex, Connor, was into it. I never paid much attention, though."

Tony pulled off at the exit, and soon they were passing through the tunnel that cut through the climate wall. There was a small hiss as the cruiser adjusted to the slick, muddy terrain, a feature added to pretty much every car manufactured in the city. Runoff from an earlier shower spattered against the windshield as they sped through, the towering trees a shadowed green and brown blur through the water-streaked windows. Eventually, the GPS brought them to the warehouse, the decaying walls draped in vines, the tiny yard around it full of untamed undergrowth. Tony shut off the car, making sure his tranq was secure as he got out, his eyes locked on the place.

"Am I the only one getting really bad vibes right now?"

Al stopped by the hood, then shuddered.

"Ugh, feels like this place is cursed or something…"

"No kidding," Nick shook off some stray droplets. "But we're not gonna get answers just standing out here."

Al took the lead, keeping his nose high, unable to smell much of anything over the mix of soaked soil, plants and the fainter burn of car exhaust.

"At least we know why no one ever investigated this place," Tony pushed aside an overhanging branch, his ears twitching when the cool water hit them. "Looks like no one's been near it in years."

The slatted gate was locked with a deer-sized chain, one the tiger didn't have much trouble breaking. He tossed it aside, the gate's posts dragging grooves through the mud as he pushed it open. At only about six hundred square feet, and just tall enough for him to stand upright, the warehouse was barely even that, and there hadn't been any records about who'd owned it, or what it had even been built for in the first place.

"And those vibes are just getting worse," Al barely avoided a root that had broken through the floor, some kind of spongy material that had probably been cheap plywood at some point. "But this place looks completely empty."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Nick waved to them from a short hallway. "I just found an old tarp hanging across the room on this side."

The room was even smaller than the one they'd first entered, and at first glance was just as barren. The dark tarp blended almost perfectly with the shadows and cracked gray walls, and that bad feeling sharpened into utter dread. His paw starting to shake, Tony reached out and ripped it down, his flashlight dropping to the floor as the one at his side went numb.

"O-Oh my _god…_ "

A roughly made crucifix hung upside-down against the wall, half-rotted ropes tied around the arms and base, with the skeletal remains of a medium-sized mammal lying in a heap in front of it. Nick stepped forward, studying the design around it, one Tony dearly hoped had been done in flaking brown paint.

"The ME said the victims had almost completely bled out," his voice was low, haunted. "This must've been what they were using it for…"

"And what exactly _did_ they use it for?" Al gulped. Nick's next breath shuddered past his lips.

"I read up on the occult after Tony showed me what he'd found," he explained. "A seven-pointed star is also used in summoning, and including this one, that's a body for every point. They must've collected the blood somehow and used it to draw all this."

He shone his light around, his ears falling further back when he saw the plain chest sitting on a shelf, just the right height for the mammal lying in front of them.

"My guess is there's some kind of journal in there, whoever did this probably would've called it a spell book," he swallowed hard, his tail pressed against the backs of his knees. "W-We gotta call this in."

"Way ahead of you," Tony keyed the radio strapped to his shoulder, relaying their location and requesting a forensics team. "Make sure they haven't eaten, it's a bad one."

 _"_ _Roger that, Z-160,"_ Clawhauser's stand-in, a young antelope, answered. _"Forensics van ETA, forty minutes."_

"Got it, Dispatch, over and out."

* * *

The newest body was that of a female water deer, likely late teens to early twenties, though whether she was the perp or another victim was up in the air. The chest Nick had spotted held exactly what he'd thought it would, a paw- or hoof-printed journal that, along with a hundred other rituals, hexes and spells, graphically detailed every aspect of the crimes. The last pages spelled out the ritual the perp had been preparing for, though it cut off just before they'd actually said what it was supposed to do. Tony, Allan and Nick stayed on scene just as long as they were required to, the ride back to Downtown silent and tense.

 _"Dispatch to Z-160,"_ Leaper came over the radio. _"You read me?"_

"Loud and clear," Allan keyed the set. "Go ahead, Dispatch."

 _"There have been multiple mammals calling about a bad smell at 1214 Abingdon Boulevard in Savanna Central,"_ he explained. _"Your GPS signal puts you as the closest unit."_

"Got it, we'll check it out, over," Allan set it in its cradle and sat back, heaving a sigh. "Looks like we're not quite done yet."

"At least it's on the way," Tony turned onto White Water Avenue, the most direct route to Abingdon. The address Leaper had given them ended up belonging to Whisper Pines Funeral Home, one of the few buildings left on the block from the last century. Tony pulled up to a meter across the street, feeding in the last of his change as Nick and Al surveyed the cemetery. There were only a few in each district, most of them having been built just outside the main wall.

"It is kind of hard to miss that smell," Al waved a paw in front of his face, Tony and Nick not looking much better. "Let's just hope it's not what I'm thinking it is."

"I'm sure it's not," Nick started straightening his almost-immaculate uniform, a nervous habit he hardly ever let other mammals see. Finally, he forced his paws down, then stiffly shrugged. "But I guess there's just one way to find out."

As the senior officer, Tony took the lead, his ears going flat when he noticed how short the place really was. It had clearly been built with smaller mammals in mind, meaning he'd have to stoop the whole time they were inside if he didn't want to crack his head on the ceiling. Rolling his eyes, he went to tap the plain door with the back of his paw, only for it to fly open before he'd even touched it.

"Y-Yes, hello?" a small platypus peeked out, her eyes unusually wide behind the thick glasses that rested on her rubbery bill. There were hints of gray in the dark brown fur around it, and the flashes of calloused skin on her webbed paws as she rubbed them said it happened quite often. She craned her neck back to look at them. "M-May I help you gentlemammals?"

"Afternoon, ma'am, I'm Lieutenant Anderson," Tony flashed his badge, then nodded behind him. "This is Lieutenant Wolfard and Sergeant Wilde. We've been getting complaints about a bad smell coming from this place?"

"Oh, y-yes, it started this morning, and I haven't been able to find anything," she stepped aside, ushering them in. "P-Perhaps you might have better luck, officers?"

The interior was just as homey as they'd expected: pale blue walls, white trim, small tables that held a variety of flower arrangements, as well as a few different wreathes propped up on floor stands.

"I'll take the basement," Nick studied the floor-plan the director passed him. "Tails, you take this floor, Tony, you got outside."

"Works for me," Tony nodded, then dipped back through the door. Nick followed the nervous little platypus to the basement door, pulling his small flashlight from his belt when she informed him that she hadn't had a chance to change out the bulbs down there. She scurried off before he had a chance to reply, and he wondered if her nervousness was because they were predators, or if she were always like that.

 _Going by the other smells in this place, I'd say it's the second one,_ he flipped on the light and headed down, keeping an eye out when he reached the floor. The air was fairly clean, surprisingly, a breeze drifting in from a high, narrow window that looked like it opened into some kind of yard. The space was edged with tall metal racks, each stuffed with neat, orderly boxes. The floor was clean, and there didn't appear to be anything that would cause the smell. Even so, he took his time searching the rest of the area, the most interesting thing he came across being a new box of light bulbs. _Might as well get in my good deed for the day…_

He'd just put in the last one when his radio crackled, Tony's voice filtering out over the faint static that was always there.

 _"I think I got something, in the utility shed out back."_

"Got it," Nick keyed the pawset. "I came up empty down here, anyway."

 _"Nothing on this floor, either,"_ Al cut in. Nick headed for the stairs, hitting the switch to make sure all the lights worked before following the wolf to the yard. Tony was kneeling next to a shed barely half his height, the look on his face saying he couldn't believe what he was seeing. And once Nick got closer, he couldn't, either.

Blood was starting to leak from under the closed door, the thick, unnatural smell telling him it had been mixed with something, not that he had any idea what it could be.

"It's formaldehyde," Al clarified. "I remember it from my biology class back in college, it's used for embalming."

"Okay," Nick kept his distance, his nose already starting to burn. "And how exactly does that explain what's going on here?"

"F-Funeral homes have closed sewage systems," the director came up behind him, taking in the scene. "T-There must be a leak somewhere."

She pulled a set of labeled keys from the pocket of her skirt, unlocking the door and crying out when a small wave washed over her feet. Gently, Tony lifted her out of the mess and set her in the grass, well out of the crimson flood's path. She swallowed.

"I-I don't know how I missed this," she wrung her paws again. "I-I'll go and call a plumber, right now!"

She hurried off, leaving webbed prints and an uneven drag mark from her tail. Tony got to his feet, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, that went a lot faster than I thought it would."

"There's not really much to this place," Al shrugged, stepping back from the mess as it continued to spread. "So, now what?"

"We call it in, I guess," Nick stuck his paws in his pockets. "I don't think I'll have an appetite for the rest of the day, though."

"I know I won't," Tony shuddered. "What the heck do you think that mammal was trying to pull, anyway?"

Nick's tail twitched.

"I'll have to wait until I can get the crime scene photos, but if I can track down Connor, he might be able to tell us," he swallowed. "I don't really wanna think about it too long, though."

"No way,"Al keyed his radio. "I'm gonna call this in, I'll meet you guys out front."

He headed inside, leaving his team to awkwardly stare at each other. Nick cleared his throat, Tony speaking up before he could say anything.

"That guy really had it bad for you, didn't he?"

Nick nodded.

"Yeah," he scratched his cheek. "But even if I hadn't met Judy, it probably still wouldn't have happened. I'd still be a hustler, and one of the last mammals to trust the cops."

Tony winced. He'd heard a few stories about Nick's former life, and he couldn't blame the male in the least.

"It took him a while to get over you, but he's finally moving past it," he hoped his blush wasn't visible. He shook his head. "I-I don't know even know why I brought this up, it's just-"

"Hey," Nick gave a reassuring smile. "I know we're not best buds, Tony, but I still think you're a good guy, and that you two make a pretty good match."

Tony stared at him. He chuckled.

"I built a career around knowing how to read mammals, it didn't take me long to put the pieces together," he held out a paw. "Just be careful, he can get kind of…crazy."

Tony laughed, shaking the tiny paw as gently as he could.

"I figured that out a while ago, we've been friends since the academy," he let Nick go and got to his feet. "But I don't think anyone will ever quite have what you and Judy do."

Nick didn't bother hiding his smile, he never could when he thought about her.

"I'd be lying if I said I was ever sure it would happen, but that just makes the fact it did even better," he started for the main building, Tony close behind. "There are still times I feel like I'm dreaming, that I wake up and wonder if the last six years were actually real."

But then he'd reach over and feel the gentle warmth of his wife's body, or the small weight of her head on his chest, and he'd realize it all had been real, that he was as close to living in paradise as he felt a mammal could be. And on days like that, he'd grab Judy the second she woke up and pull her in close, kissing her like there was no tomorrow, but his favorite part was how she always kissed back.

"Well, looks like our work's done here," Al traced a claw down a glossy green leaf. "You guys wanna head out?"

Neither of them had a chance to answer before there were rapid footsteps behind them, coupled with a light panting that said the mammal wasn't quite used to the exertion. They turned to see the director, waving a paw as her waddling run slowed to a walk.

"E-Excuse me, officers," she stopped in front of them. "B-But I just came across this in my office, addressed to…"

She glanced at the envelope.

"F-For you, Sergeant," she held it out to Nick. He glanced at the guys before taking it, cocking a brow when he saw it was closed with a big, shiny sticker that showed a bunch of roses.

"And for some reason, that worries me," he muttered, then peeled it off until the flap opened. The dark cream paper inside was neatly folded, with an embossed border that felt almost like thorny vines. The note was typed in a small, plain script, barely taking up the middle third of the page. "'I want Sergeant Wilde to lead this case, and the longer it takes, the more mammals will pay.'"

"What the heck's that supposed to mean?" Al looked over his shoulder. Nick shrugged.

"No idea," he folded the note and tucked it back inside. "But I doubt it's anything good."

* * *

 _There was actually a report of formaldehyde-laced blood spilling into the street from a funeral home while I was writing this, they have private sewage systems and this one had gotten backed up somehow. It wasn't something I'd ever heard of happening before, so I decided to include it for something different._


	10. Case File

_'_ _The last three pages of the journal had been cut off at the spine, and they weren't found at the scene, so we have no idea what the perp might have been trying to do. As for the girl we found by that cross, even if we do manage to reconstruct her face, we might never know if she was actually the perp, or just another victim.'_

Nick sat back, stretching his arms over his head. Even with Judy around, this part of the job had been slow, but now that he was on his own, it barely even crawled by. Forensics had already spent the last two days processing the scene, but hadn't come up with anything conclusive yet. Connor hadn't been much help either, he'd never even heard of the ritual the killer had been trying to put together. He saved the file and closed it, deciding to wait for a few more of the tests to come back before he finalized it for the Chief.

 _You've really rubbed off on me, Carrots,_ he remembered when he'd let the paperwork pile up, lucky if he made it at the very last second. Now he just did it as it came, thanks in part to her constant nagging to keep up with it. That, and it gave him room on his desk to display several pictures: a selfie she'd insisted they take before he'd left for the academy, then another his first morning on the job. The next was one of the best shots from their wedding, when he'd swept her off her feet for their first kiss as husband and wife. The last was by far his favorite, though, the shot Julia had taken after she'd given Judy their son. Just part of the record of how much things had changed.

But he'd be lying to himself if he said all those changes had been good.

It hadn't taken long to figure out Judy had lied to him, when she'd said her family wasn't still sore about her marrying a fox, it had taken some of them long enough just to accept that Darwin had been an unstable nut job. They'd even suggested that she marry Daniel instead, the one they admitted they should've arranged her to marry in the first place. It had only gotten worse after she'd announced their engagement, to the point she'd had to block their numbers and threaten to bring them in on harassment charges. It helped that more of her family were on their side, even if the rejection had stung for a while.

Then there was the more recent development of Judy's postpartum. It had taken even longer than he'd thought it would for her mother to get back to him, but she'd confirmed that several family members had gone through it, including her on occasion. He wondered if it also had something to do with how Judy's first pregnancy had ended, since she hadn't even known until she'd miscarried. He'd entertained the idea that Darwin had gotten her drunk on purpose, but from the sound of it he'd been just as bad, if not even worse. It sounded like that, at least, had just been a night of bad judgement, something she'd blamed herself for as much as she had him.

 _That's not the only thing stuck in your head, is it?_

He pulled out his phone, bringing up the picture he'd snapped of that message from the funeral home. It was just another thing he'd sent off for tests, but so far the results weren't looking too promising. There hadn't been any prints, and the sticker and stationary could've been picked up at any number of office supply stores in the city, so that was pretty much a dead end. He'd shown it to Bogo and several others as well, but no one had even the slightest idea what 'case' it could've been talking about, and even then, with what they had now, it would've been a long shot to actually connect it to a case at all.

 _As much as I hate it, it looks like all we can do is wait and see with this one._

He tapped the message alert when it showed up at the top of the screen, smiling when he saw it was from Judy.

 _'_ _Having lunch with your mom, she can't get enough of Terry!'_

He chuckled, happy to see she was going out more. He still felt guilty for letting her think she had to stay home all the time just because money was tight, and that he'd paid more attention to work than to her. Granted, she'd pulled the same stunt before, but then they hadn't had a kit to worry about, and she hadn't been fighting against her own feelings. But at least they'd always managed to talk it out before it caused too much trouble, even if they'd still gotten in more than one spat about it.

 _'_ _I've got some time now,'_ he tapped out. _'Mind if I join you?'_

He'd barely sent it before it said that she'd read it, and a few seconds later it showed she was typing something.

 _'_ _We just got salads from Savory Leaves, on 31st? We're in the park across the street now.'_

That was only a few blocks south of the precinct, and if he left now, he'd have more than enough time to make it back before the Chief would start hunting for his tail.

 _'_ _Great, I'll get something and meet you guys there.'_

* * *

It took a few minutes to find them, seated at a picnic table in the sun to help cut down on the chill in the air. It was early enough in the spring that a lot of the branches were still mostly bare, even if it was getting hard to miss the buds coming up. His mother was the first to spot him, his mood falling a bit when he noticed how heavily she was leaning on her cane. She'd slipped while ice skating over the winter, and while she'd landed in a pile of fresh snow, the fall had been bad enough that she'd fractured her hip. But other than that, she looked just like she had when they'd made up six years ago, though there was more of a shine in her eyes than there'd ever been while he'd been growing up.

"Oh, Nicky!" she hugged him, and he couldn't miss how frail she felt in his arms. He knew most of it was just from the fall, and that she'd just tweak his ear like he was still a kit if he mentioned it. "It's so good to see you!"

"You just saw me two days ago," he chuckled, even as she brushed away his paw when he tried to help her sit. He stepped past her, leaning down to kiss Judy's cheek before sitting on the bench across from her. His mom's favorite purple sweater was draped around her shoulders, helping shield the tiny kit nuzzled against her chest, cooing softly as he fed. "How've you been doing today?"

She smiled a bit, spearing a bit of salad with her fork before answering.

"I cleaned up the loft a bit," she paused to take the bite, then swallowed. "Other than that I've been pretty lazy."

He chuckled again. Lazy for her was stretching or doing crunches during commercials, she just wasn't capable of sitting for long. Even during their movie nights she'd get up to do something during the slower parts.

"I'm just waiting for some tests to come back before I send in that case report, but I'm not exactly seeing this one as a win," he took the other half of the chicken wrap from his Savory Leaves bag, brushing off a stray bit of lettuce before taking a bite. He couldn't say too much in front of his mom, not that he was feeling up to discussing the gruesome case, anyway. "But at least we have more of the story now."

"I'm afraid that's the best you can do sometimes," Judy fixed her top, then hiked Terry to her shoulder. "Is there anything else I've been missing?"

"Spots and Stripes come back next week," he took another mouthful. She smiled.

"I'll just have to visit then, won't I?" she giggled as Terry finally burped. "It'll be great to see them again, and we can give this little guy his first taste of Daddy's job."

She held up their son, who just let out a silent yawn. Nick chuckled.

"I'm still not used to that," he admitted, then finished his wrap. She tucked Terry back in his carrier.

"Neither am I, Slick, even if I was basically a mom to some of my youngest siblings," she shook her head. "But this is the first time the kit's actually been mine, it's kind of weird."

"You'll get used to it, dear," Genevieve put a paw on her shoulder, then traced a finger over her grandson's forehead. "He's gotten so big already."

"I know," Judy laughed. "I'll probably only be able to carry him another month or so, but I'm not sure I want to think what nursing him will be like at that point…"

It was hard enough to keep up with him as it was, and he wasn't even a full three weeks yet!

"I'm sure we'll figure it out," Nick gathered his trash and chucked it in a nearby bin, wrapping his arms around her waist when he came back. "We always do."

He kissed the top of her head, lingering when she pressed a paw over his.

"Wish we could do this more often," he pulled back when his phone buzzed. "But something tells me Bogo's gonna be keeping me on this cold case squad for a while."

"You've got an amazing eye for details, Nick," she told him. "I'm not surprised he picked you."

"I just hope the rest are ones we can actually solve," he leaned in and kissed her. "But at least I got to spend some time with my two favorite girls."

His mom laughed when he hugged her, she and Judy waving as he headed off with a lazy salute.

"You two really are perfect for each other," she turned back to her daughter-in-law, her smile falling when she saw the bunny's forlorn look. "Judy, dear, what's wrong?"

Judy shuffled her fork through what was left of her salad, then let it drop to the tray with a low sigh.

"I just don't know what's been going on with me lately," she shook her head. "I mean, it's not like I regret having Terry or anything, but I've been flying off the handle at random since my third trimester, and even when I _do_ feel happy, there's still this voice in the back of my head like…"

She sighed again, her shoulders slumping.

"It's telling me that it's just an act, that I'm a horrible mom because I already want to go back to work," she gulped, her eyes starting to mist over. "A-And sometimes, it even says I'm selfish for wanting kits, because they'll just get bullied for being mixed species, that everyone will just compare him to J-Joshua…"

She curled up as much as she could, Terry fussing softly as her tears hit him. Wincing a bit, Genevieve scooted closer, hugging the doe as tight as she dared.

"You're an amazing mother, dear," she started. "And being passionate about your career is nothing to be ashamed of."

Judy sniffled, looking up at her.

"B-But what about Terry? H-He _will_ get bullied, just because of who his parents are!"

"I'm afraid bullies are just a sad fact of life, Judy," Genevieve told her. "And even if Terry were all bunny, or all fox, there would still be children that tease him just because they have no other way of feeling better about themselves, or it's the only outlet for their own frustrations."

She put her paws on Judy's shoulders.

"But there will also always be mammals who never care who his parents are, only that he's a kind and friendly little boy," she smiled. "And with you two as parents, there's little chance of him ending up as anything else.

"Those are the things you should focus on, Judy," she went on. "And the next time thoughts like that come up, tell yourself that you and Nick love each other, and that you'll always be there when Terry, and any other kits you two have, need you. Do you understand that?"

She hated the hesitation in Judy's eyes, lingering there even when her signature determination took over.

"I understand, but it's easier said than done," she bit her lip, staring down at the kit snuggled in his carrier. It was a relief, though, knowing the thoughts weren't anything abnormal.

 _I knew it,_ she told herself. _There's nothing wrong with me!_


	11. Two Ways to Fight

_Shoot, missed an update last week, so looks like you all get two this week!_

* * *

Judy reached up, hitting the button that shut off the treadmill. Genevieve had gone with her to her latest postnatal check-up, yet another appointment Nick hadn't been able to make.

 _It's not his fault, though,_ she tried to reason, not bothering to grab the towel she'd flung over the arm. Hayworth had finally cleared her for more strenuous physical activity, if 'brisk walking and maybe some yoga' counted as strenuous. Of course, she'd cheated a bit, adding some light weights and other things to the mix, but nothing that would cause too much strain. The last thing she needed was Nick, or anyone acting any more overprotective of her. _So I carried a baby almost twice the size of a bunny kit, that doesn't mean they have to treat me like I'm blown glass!_

 _They're just concerned for you,_ her rational half piped up. The internal arguments were getting more and more frequent, but as long as she didn't start replying to herself out loud, there was nothing to worry about. _It's practically a miracle Nick even_ got _you pregnant, and_ how _many times did they have to stop your labor the last three months?_

She winced. The contractions had started once a month, and each time they'd barely been able to keep her from giving birth prematurely. And by then she'd been so big she'd barely been able to get out of bed without help, which had been all kinds of humiliating. But she'd wanted to start a family just as much as Nick had, and it had all been worth it when she'd finally held their kit in her arms, when she'd seen the proud, ecstatic tears that'd pooled in her husband's eyes. She loved them both with everything she had, and didn't regret her choices for a second, at least, she didn't think she did.

 _You know what's happening, don't you,_ that scornful voice bubbled up again. _You lost your focus, you started letting your dumb heart make your decisions for you, and look where it's gotten you!_

She did look, trying to focus on the bright, spacious loft, the pictures of her and Nick that lined the walls, the beautiful set of rings glinting on her finger. But that was apparently the wrong answer.

 _You're_ trapped _in here because you just_ had _to go and start having Nick's babies, while_ he's _out there getting to do the job_ you _sacrificed almost_ everything _for! A job he_ never _would've gotten if it Weren't. For._ You!

 _No,_ she shook her head, her ears falling back when Terry started crying. _I mean, yes, I_ did _give up a lot to get my dream job, but Nick and all of our friends have shown me that it doesn't have to rule my life, they showed me how much I was missing!_

 _And what_ were _you missing,_ the other voice demanded. _A little brat that's just going to keep you from being the best cop you can be, that's just made you part of the stereotypes you've worked so hard to break from?_

 _Face it, Judy,_ it went on. _You don't need any of this, you never did, and now you'll never get away from it!_

"No!" she slumped to her knees, clutching her head. "T-This has to stop! I-I'm not going to let you bully me!"

 _Who said I was bullying you? I'm just trying to make you stick to the choices_ you _made in the first place!_

 _Right, the choices_ I _made,_ she argued. I _decided to marry Nick, and_ we _decided to start having kits._ I'm _still in control of my life, it's nothing like-_

 _Like with Darwin?_

She shook her head. It was bad enough Darwin had tried to control her, but he'd also tried to get Nick fired, and when that hadn't worked, he'd shot him with the same gun he'd stolen from her.

 _Nick would never do any of that, he loves me, and he trusts me._

 _Are you sure about that?_ It just wouldn't give up. _You've known him for almost six years, and he_ still _hasn't told you everything about his past, because he_ doesn't _trust you, and he never will!_

That was a complete lie, she knew. Nick had called her while he'd been in recovery, saying he had something important to tell her. She'd used her last paid vacation hours to visit him, so they'd had the whole day to talk, and he'd ended up spilling the entire story. Everything he'd done for Mr. Big, the hustles and cons that had come so close to getting mammals hurt, or even killed. When he'd finally finished, she'd just sat there, staring blankly at him. Then after a long silence, she'd slipped from her chair, saying she needed time to think, stepping out before he'd even had a chance to respond. He'd waited until she'd been ready to contact him again, and after a long conversation, she'd made her choice.

She'd told him all the stories her family had blackmailed her with, all the things she'd done and the mammals she'd hurt so she could achieve her dream. How she'd done everything she could to make it all right when she'd gone back home after giving up her badge, even if most of them still refused to acknowledge her.

 _Nick and I both messed up,_ she told herself. _We both made a lot of mistakes, but even if it didn't always work, we still did what we could to fix them, and that's the biggest difference between him and Darwin._

She wiped her eyes, pulling herself up and hurrying to the nursery. How long had Terry been crying? How long had she been trapped in her head?

"I'm sorry, sweetie," she reached in his crib, her nose twitching when she felt his diaper. "Yuck, let's get that cleaned up!"

She went at the task with her usual speed, not wanting to risk a case of diaper rash. She ran a paw over his tail as she picked him up, long and tipped with a sooty brown just like Nick's. He had her feet, though, white on the soles with darker pink pads. She let him play with her fingers while she went to the window seat, giggling when he put one in his mouth and started sucking on it.

 _So what if my head's a little messed up right now,_ she asked herself. _I'll just keep pushing it back, like I do everything else!_

She nodded once, firmly, then put her focus back on her son. Gently taking her paw from his grip, she got back up, heading to the living room. It was almost time for Gazelle's new music video to air, and she wasn't about to miss it.

 _Like you miss solving cases?_

She stopped, her half-perked ears falling right back down. Of course she missed that, the exciting parts, anyway, but even she didn't long for the piles of paperwork that came with them. Besides, she'd get to go back to it soon, probably before she'd even planned, since Francine had told her about the new child care center at the precinct. It was a test the upper brass had put together with a nearby teaching school: students got experience working with a range of species and ages, while Zootopia's finest got a cheaper and more convenient way to make sure their kids were cared for. If it worked, they'd start looking at putting one in at least one precinct per district, if not more.

 _I'll be visiting next week, anyway,_ she tickled her son's tummy. _Might as well check it out while I'm there!_

 _Yeah, sure,_ that voice just wouldn't shut up! _It's bad enough your_ husband's _already there to distract you, now you're gonna throw this brat into the mix?_

She growled in annoyance, wincing when Terry started fussing. She rocked him until he settled down, gasping when he let out a small squeak.

 _That had to be the cutest thing I've ever heard! Where's my phone when I need it?_

She jumped when it buzzed in her pocket.

 _Guess that answers that question._

She brought it out, frowning a bit when she saw a text from Nick.

 _'_ _Won't be back till late, I'm sorry, sweetheart.'_

She frowned.

 _'_ _What do you mean?'_ she typed out quickly. _'What happened?'_

It took him a few minutes to respond.

 _'_ _We got a call about something big going down at Cliffside, Tony and I are just one of the teams heading up there.'_

She swallowed. Cliffside was the same hospital Darwin had been sent to, she didn't want to think what might happen if they ran into each other.

 _'_ _Be careful, okay? All of you.'_

 _'_ _We'll do our best. Love you, Carrots.'_

 _'_ _Love you too, Slick.'_

She turned on the ringer and put it on the end table, grabbing the remote and going right to ZNN. As she'd expected, there was already a chopper and several news vans on the scene, a group of reporters being held back by two rhinos at the gate. Seconds later, the first cruiser pulled up, Francine and Dwayne Rhinowitz easily parting the crowd and pushing them further back. It wasn't long before the street was swarmed with the ZPD, several officers setting up a barricade before the gate while the rest were escorted inside by the guards. She couldn't pick Nick out in the aerial shot, but she knew he was likely one of those heading inside. He'd become an official negotiator not long after joining the force, saying it would just make their jobs easier, though thankfully he hadn't needed to use it too often.

 _Please be careful, Nick,_ she rubbed her rings, biting her lip. _Don't try to be a hero!_


	12. Emotional Bunnies, Dumb Foxes

_And I was doing so well at remembering to post on Thursdays, and now I've missed two in a row! Oh well, at least you still got the two updates I promised this week!_

* * *

"Now!"

Tony dove through the door, getting off three, rapid shots. The caribou rocked as the darts hit her, the glower fading from her face as the drugs took effect, until she finally slumped forward, the tiger barely catching her before she hit the floor. The shot had ended up cutting into the wall less than an inch from Nick's ear.

"Cut it kind of close there, didn't you, bud?" he asked, his breath still heavy. Tony scoffed.

"You should've just kept her in one spot, it would've been easy for you to distract her long enough without all that crap."

Nick shrugged.

"I had to make sure she didn't hurt the other kids, and that was the only thing I could think of," he looked over to the tables. "How you guys doing over there?"

It took a few seconds, but eventually they started peeking out, all of them shaken and scared, but otherwise unharmed.

"W-We're fine, Mr. Wilde," the otter was wrapped around the grizzly's arm. "W-What about you?"

He flashed a thumb's up.

"I'm good to go, kids," he walked over to them. "Now, come on, let's get you all out of here."

He led them to the orderlies who'd followed his team inside, a lion taking the unconscious caribou off Tony's paws. Nick waited until they were gone before turning to the Chief.

"That was reckless and stupid, Wilde," Bogo admonished him. "But, you did manage to keep anyone from being hurt, or worse."

His eyes hardened.

"But don't think that gets you out of the paperwork for this."

Nick laughed.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Chief!"

Bogo glared at him again, then shook his head and walked out, likely to deal with the news crews still blocking the road outside. Nick sighed, running a paw over his face.

"I'm actually more worried about what Carrots will do when she finds out about this."

Tony snickered.

"Your ego could always use a little more shrinking, in my opinion."

Nick rolled his eyes.

"You're a real pal, you know that?" he quipped, then headed for the elevators. "But we might as well follow those kids to the hospital, we still have to get statements from them."

"What's this 'we' stuff?" Tony caught up to him. "I was just your ride here!"

The two of them kept ribbing each other until they got outside, Nick wincing when the commotion at the gate only got worse when the reporters noticed him. Tony slapped his back, throwing him forward.

"I'll let you take care of this, I should get started on those statements!"

Nick scoffed.

"What happened to 'I was just your ride here', Anderson?" he called after him. Tony just laughed, throwing a dismissive wave over his shoulder.

"You're the one who had to be a hero!"

Groaning, Nick turned back to the swarm of mammals, hating how easily Bogo spoke to them. Despite all his attitude and bravado, he'd always been camera shy, and no number of times in front of one seemed to be enough to get him past it.

 _Just pretend they're not there, Slick,_ Judy's voice echoed through his head. _That's how I get through it!_

 _Easy for her to say,_ he told himself. She'd only ever done press conferences, and she couldn't even see half the flashes over the microphones, anyway. _Why do I always get myself in to these situations?_

Deciding it was time to quit stalling, he forced his feet to move, keeping his mask in place as he stopped next to Bogo.

"Officer Wilde, Officer Wilde!" a male beaver shoved his microphone in Nick's face. "What can you tell us about what just happened in there?"

"N-" he cleared his throat. "Not much, other than the perp's been subdued, and the hostages are fine."

"Mammals are saying the one responsible for this is a minor," a female pig piped up. "Can you confirm or deny that?"

"I'm afraid I can't," Nick stuffed his paws in his pockets. "Only that they were as much a victim in all this as the hostages were."

"You said they were a victim," a sheep raised her hoof. "Can you elaborate on that, please?"

"As much as I can," Nick willed his tail to be still. "What I mean is they were at the mercy of an illness that can be difficult to control, no matter how much help the mammal receives. There are just too many other factors to take into account, it's almost impossible to predict how they'll respond to some situations."

"Word is your wife's ex-husband is also a patient here," the beaver spoke up again. "Has he caused any more problems for you two?"

Nick fixed the reporter with a cold stare, one that had the mammal shrinking back into the crowd.

"That has nothing to do with this," he stated flatly. "No more questions."

He followed the Chief past the crowd, ignoring the barrage they still threw at him. Besides the occasional nightmare about that day four years ago, Darwin had almost completely left his realm of thought, and he intended to keep it that way.

 _I've already got enough to worry about,_ he felt his phone buzz at his hip. _Last thing I need is that dumbass taking up space again._

* * *

He let Judy know everyone was fine on the way to Sahara Medical, not surprised when she didn't answer. Knowing her, she was already heading there herself. Thankfully, they managed to arrive before the reporters did, so he got to enjoy a bit of quiet before Tony came up to him.

"I can't talk to the kids yet, but the staff were able to tell me a bit," he flipped through his notes. "Her name's Natalie Carino, and this was the fourth time she'd been admitted, though the first where they'd actually known what was wrong with her."

He scanned a few other pages.

"She hid her pills under her tongue, then dropped them in a space under a tile in her room, but managed to make everyone think she was taking them," he scratched his cheek. "She was apparently fine when she went to bed last night, but got irate this morning because her request for her diary back was denied, and somehow that ended with her attacking a guard and stealing his gun."

He swallowed.

"By the time anyone realized what'd happened, she'd already taken the kids hostage in that rec room, and well, you know the rest."

He shut his notebook and tucked it in his pocket. Nick shivered, shoving back the memory that had clawed at him since Natalie had been subdued. So what if Darwin had been on the grounds somewhere? He hadn't even scented him, let alone seen him, it wasn't worth worrying about!

"Nick!"

That, however, was worth it. He turned, seeing Judy running toward him, his mother coming at a slightly more leisurely pace behind her. He slipped down from the oversized chair, just in time for his arms to be filled with a sniffling bunny.

"Oh, Nick," she clung to him. "I was so worried!"

"I know," he nuzzled the top of her head. "I was, too."

She sniffed again, then looked up at him.

"Allan showed me the video, from your body cam," she brushed his shirt pocket. He'd given the sunglasses to the wolf after everything had gone down, he was amazed they hadn't fallen off, with all the stunts he'd pulled. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"That I had to get those kids out of there, hopefully without anyone getting hurt," he brushed her cheek. She glared at him.

"That didn't mean you had to make her shoot at you!" tears started pooling. "Y-You could've been killed!"

She buried her face in his neck, he knelt down to put himself closer to her height.

"I'm sorry, Fluff," he whispered. "I didn't think it would get that bad, I was just worried about the kids."

He tightened his hold on her, smoothing a paw over her limp ears. He let her cry for a while, knowing it was more than just him being reckless, that she'd been trying to hide her depression from him.

"Y-You dumb, crazy fox!" she thumped his chest. "D-Don't you ever do that to me again!"

He sighed, pulling her back.

"You know I can't promise that, Judy," he said seriously. "You've said it yourself, our job is dangerous, all I can say is I'll do my best, for you…"

He cupped her face with one paw, then looked up at his mother, at the tiny bundle she held so lovingly in her arms.

"And our family."

She sniffled, but nodded, tucking herself back under his chin.

"I promise the same thing, Nick, just please, try to at least be less reckless, okay?"

He chuckled.

"I will if you will."

She sighed, thumping his chest again.

"Do you always have to ruin the moment?"

"If it means seeing you smile again, then yes," he squeezed her, and she couldn't hold back a giggle.

"Dumb fox."

He kissed her forehead.

"Emotional bunny."

* * *

They'd planned on a walk in the park that evening, both of them deciding they'd rather spend the night in. Judy whipped up a simple salad, adding chunks of leftover chicken to Nick's half, while he took care of Terry's bath. She was still wound up from the excitement, the fear that he could've been seriously hurt, or even worse.

 _It's over now,_ she tried to tell herself. _He's fine, and so are all the kids, that's what's important._

For once, that nasty voice she'd been fighting against didn't speak up, and she decided not to question it. She set the mismatched bowls on a tray, struggling a bit with her balance as she carried it to the table. It had been a gift from his aunt after their engagement, she'd had them in storage and had paid a friend to sand and refinish them. Much better than that cheap set-up he'd had when they'd first moved in together.

 _I think she was also trying to tell us something._ Seven of the ten chairs, along with the middle extension, were now sitting in their big closet, once home to an industrial-sized water heater. She shook her head, heading back to the counter to prep Terry's bottle. _We'll have more kits eventually, but right now I'm happy with just the three of us._

She'd just set it in the warmer when Nick came in, their son almost comically tiny compared to him.

"And I thought he looked small when your mom held him," she giggled as he swatted her with his tail. He was a head taller than Genevieve, with his father's larger paws. "I wonder how big he'll end up getting…"

"Who knows?" he held the back of his paw against the bottle, then plucked it from the warmer. "As long as he doesn't end up taller than me."

She snorted.

"I haven't seen many red foxes your height, plus he's got bunny genes in him, so that probably won't happen," she came over, leaning against his side as he fed their son, the bottle barely big enough for him to hold comfortably. "You're a natural at this."

His smile was a little sad.

"My family's been through a lot, and not just because we're foxes," he cleared his throat. "So we've always been a close bunch, except for, well…"

He trailed off, she didn't need him to elaborate.

"I know," she put a paw on his arm, the other reaching as far around his waist as it could go. "Your family's amazing, Nick, and I'm honored you wanted me to be part of it."

He chuckled, faintly.

"I'm still amazed they took me back, after I disappeared like I did," his ears flicked back. "I kept telling myself I didn't care about what I was missing, that I was happy being a two-bit street hustler."

"I wouldn't call you a two-bit, Mr. 'Two Hundred Dollars a Day'," she giggled. "And at least you made all those lemmings happy."

He set the empty bottle on the table, and it took a few seconds to get Terry situated on his shoulder. Judy kissed his cheek, grabbing the bottle and unscrewing the cap before tossing it in the sink.

"You don't think the Chief will mind me dropping by next week, do you?" she sat down and started eating. Nick shrugged, setting Terry in his lap as he took his own forkful.

"He's used to me getting distracted by my adorable little bunny," he smirked at her. "So he shouldn't."

He got up, stealing another bite before leaning over the table.

"And I think he's just as excited to meet pipsqueak here as everyone else is," he winked at her. She snorted again.

"Nick, we are _not_ calling our son 'pipsqueak'!"

He flashed a sly smile.

"Just wait, it'll grow on you, Carrots."

She shook her head.

"I don't know why I let you call me that, you used it to insult me when we first met."

"Just like you called me Slick, you mean?" he was teasing her, but it still made her wince a bit.

"Okay, I walked into that one," she reached out and took his paw. "And I guess it doesn't matter now, anyway, things are completely different than they were back then."

"I wouldn't say completely," he smirked at her. "I still haven't stopped driving you crazy with my dirty jokes, and you're still determined to 'make the world a better place'."

She swatted at him, being careful of the kit tucked in the crook of his arm.

"And you still have way too much sass for your own good," she reached up and grabbed his collar. "But at least you're better-looking than you were back then, now that you're not so scrawny."

She stood on her chair when he pouted, pulling him in for a kiss.

"Not that I ever found you unattractive to start with, at least physically," she traced a claw down his chest, her voice dropping to a low, seductive tone. "So why don't you put him down, then we can finish eating and have some…dessert…"

She pulled him in closer, her nose brushing his.

"That sound good, big guy?"

She giggled as his tail wagged eagerly behind him, gasping when his other paw hooked around her waist, pulling her almost flush against him.

"I'd say that sounds damn good, sweetheart," he licked her nose, his hot breath making her fur stand on end. "I'll be right back."


	13. Paper Trail

Nick's tail had been wagging since he'd woken up. With Judy still healing, they hadn't been able to go beyond a long, heavy make-out session, but it'd still been more than they'd done in months. And when he'd seen her stretched out across from him that morning, her nose twitching as she slept, all he'd been able to think was how pretty she was, how peaceful she looked.

 _I really am one lucky fox,_ he finished another set of revisions on the Ritual Reaper report, as they were calling the case now, then saved and closed it out, pushing back from his computer and getting to his feet. Tony had called in sick, and with Tails and Delgato teamed up since Stripes was still out, he'd been stuck on desk duty. Which meant he had an hour or two before Bogo realized his station was empty, and would either send him down to records, or give him any of the other 'busywork' assignments he kept on hoof. The worst of which Nick swore the Chief saved just for him. _Guess there's only one thing I can do._

He went to grab one of the old ZPA uniforms he kept in his locker before heading to the sub-basement, where a state-of-the-art gym and fitness center had been set up. A few officers had griped about it being below ground, until they'd realized a rhino or elephant regularly sparring or running on an upper floor wasn't exactly the safest idea. He still wasn't keeping up with his regime like he should've been, plus he and Judy had a date tonight, so he had to look his best.

 _And speak of the bunny,_ he took his phone from his belt, the soft ringtone telling him exactly who it was.

"Hey there, sweetheart," he stopped by the door to the stairwell, keeping close to the wall. His tail stopped its idle waving when he heard her groans on the other end. "Everything okay?"

 _"_ _N-No, Nick, it's,"_ she gagged, and he couldn't hold back a wince as she threw up. _"M-Must've eaten something bad…"_

She vomited again, he hadn't heard her like that since her morning sickness.

"You need me to come home? I can get something that'll help-"

 _"_ _N-No,"_ she coughed. _"I-Isabel's on her way over, j-just wanted to let you know I prob-"_

More puking, but at least the spell was shorter this time.

 _"_ _-Ably won't be up for tonight. I'm sorry, Slick…"_

He sighed. Only she would feel guilty for being sick.

"Don't worry about that, Carrots," he assured her. "You just take it easy, okay?"

She sniffed.

 _"_ _I-I'll try…"_

She groaned again, then hung up. Nick stared at his phone a second before putting it back in its case. They'd met Isabel and her husband, Mateo, a few months after the Half and Half Abductions, when their son, Xavier, had been trying to get away from his older sister, Mary. He'd called in a few favors, and had gotten the serial runaway the help she'd needed. She'd just graduated high school, and was already looking to become a child psychologist. Xavier was in sixth grade, still determined to be Zootopia's next bunny cop.

 _At least I'm a good influence on someone,_ he laughed to himself. The kit had pretty much come to idolize them, and while they didn't get together often, his parents had become some of their closest friends. He still wondered if he should head home, though, even if just for a few minutes, when his phone went off at his hip again.

 _'_ _I can hear you thinking it from here, Slick,'_ she'd messaged him. _'Terry and I will be fine with Isabel.'_

 _'_ _And you really have to stop slacking off,'_ another popped up a few seconds later. _'Don't think I haven't noticed how soft you're getting! ;p'_

His ears flicked forward, a sly smile forming on his lips.

 _'_ _Those sound like fighting words, Fluff.'_

He kept it in paw as he started downstairs, stopping on the landing when she messaged him back.

 _'_ _I like to think of it as 'wifely encouragement', Slick,'_ it started. _'How else am I gonna make everyone who sees you jealous?'_

He laughed.

 _'_ _If that's what my bunny wants, then that's what she'll get,'_ he smiled. _'Now if only she'd stop distracting me so I can get started.'_

He sent it off and finished the climb down, slipping into the showers to change. The whole floor was usually quiet this time of day, but at the moment it was almost completely silent.

 _It's actually kind of creepy,_ he checked his phone one last time, stashing it beneath his folded uniform when he saw she hadn't texted back. Not that he'd expected her to, with how violent that fit had sounded. _I'll pick up some stuff for her on my way home, I just hope she takes it easy._

* * *

He'd pushed himself even harder than he usually did, weeks' worth of annoyance and stress coming to the surface as he'd lost his focus on keeping it buried. The hall was still empty as he hurried back to the showers, having completely lost track of time.

 _Last thing I need is Bogo chewing my ass out, again._

He washed off as quickly as he could, his fur still damp when he pulled on his uniform. He barely noticed Judy still hadn't gotten back to him as he made his way to his desk, sliding into his chair just before the clock struck five. A quick check of his emails told him the last of the tests he'd ordered had finally come in, confirming what had been his hunch for days. The ash that had been in the bowls they'd found at the scene had the same chemical composition as the journal's pages, though there was no way to tell if it was actually part of the ritual, or the perp had just burnt them to keep the police off their trail.

 _Neither would really surprise me at this point,_ he brought up the report he'd been working on earlier, noting the new information before sending it off to the Chief. _Guess this really is as far as we'll get on this case…_

He closed out his email, cocking a brow when he noticed the corner of something sticking out from beneath the keyboard, his ears falling back as he slid it closer. _'Sergeant Wilde'_ stamped in red on the back of a dark cream envelope, one that was closed with a metallic sticker of a bunch of pink and white roses.

 _As if one of these wasn't bad enough._

Swallowing, he went for the sticker, which had been pressed down just enough so it peeled cleanly off, taking out a sheet of paper folded in perfect thirds, feeling the embossed border of thorns as he slowly unfolded it. The text in the center was the same font, the message just as brief as the last.

 _'I hope you're ready to play, tough guy, because the game is about to begin!'_

What the hell was that supposed to mean? What was going on here?

 _Who the hell even_ is _this mammal?_ He swallowed again, quickly stuffing the page back into the envelope. _Why are they so focused on me?_

"Wilde!"

He jumped, choking on his next breath as he spun his chair around to face the Chief.

"S-Sorry, Sir," he coughed into the crook of his arm. "You caught me off-guard."

"I can see that," Bogo stared down at him, face impassive as always. "We just received a call from an apartment complex in the Meadowlands, something about a disturbance in one of the units."

Nick blinked.

"But, isn't that out of our jurisdiction, Sir?" he questioned. "The Meadowlands are Precincts Eight and Nine's territory."

Bogo nodded.

"Normally, it would be," he sighed. "However, the mammal who called in the disturbance asked for you, specifically."

Nick froze, his tail puffing. The Chief looked at him.

"Wilde? You alright?"

He blinked, then shook his head.

"Y-Yeah, Chief, it's just," he turned to grab the message off his desk, passing it to the buffalo. "I found this on my desk just now, and I think it might be connected."

Bogo quickly inspected the outside, squinting a bit when he read the typed message.

"It's a match for the one you showed me last week," he focused on Nick again. "Connected or not, I think it'd be best if you got up there as soon as possible."

He nodded.

"Right, Chief, but-"

"Delgato and Wolfard are waiting for you," he stepped aside. "Now I suggest you get going."

Nick stood, giving a short salute.

"Understood, Sir."

He hurried past the larger male, his tail flicking when he saw the lion-sized cruiser idling in the lot out front.

"Yo, Nick!" Allan waved him over. "What's going on? We were just about to clock out when we got a call from Dispatch, something about an apartment in the Meadowlands."

"I know," Nick took a minute to straighten himself out and catch his breath. "You remember that note I got at the funeral home?"

"The one that said something about a case?" he pushed the door open. "Does it have something to do with this?"

"I'm not sure yet," Nick shrugged. "But the fact I got another one just before a disturbance was called in, with the mammal specifically asking for me, can't just be a coincidence."

"Wait, what?" Delgato leaned over the center console. "What the heck are you guys talking about?"

"I'll explain on the way," he jumped into the cruiser, the over-sized seat more than big enough for he and Tails to split. Sliding under the seatbelt, he pulled out his phone, tapping out a quick text to his wife as they pulled away from the curb.

 _'Looks like I'll be working late again, Fluff, I just got hit with another big case.'_


	14. The Devil Within

It was raining when they got there, which just added to the unease that'd been turning in Nick's gut since he'd spotted that second message. Why had that mammal picked him to lead whatever case they were connected to? Why did they seem to be fixated on him?

"Well, this is the place," Delgato pulled into the lot. The Oakwood Apartments complex was in nearly the dead center of the Meadowlands, the hilly, spread-out district filled primarily with sheep and other such mammals, ferrets and weasels being fairly common as well. As such, it was one of the few buildings designed with larger citizens in mind, a slim white lioness waving them down by the front door.

"Oh, officers!" she stepped back as Jeremy pulled up to the curb, Allan and Nick climbing out as he went to find a spot that would fit the cruiser. "Thank you for coming so quickly!"

"Just doing our job, Ma'am," Nick and Allan followed her inside. "Sergeant Wilde, this is Lieutenant Wolfard, you said there was some kind of disturbance here?"

She nodded.

"Well, not me, exactly. I'm Juniper, the owner of this place," she looked past them when Delgato came in, shaking some drops from his mane. The blush that touched her ears was hard to miss. "Some of my residents were complaining about a lot of noise in one of the units, but the thing is, the unit's been empty for the past month."

She led them to the elevator, hitting the button for the fifth floor.

"I haven't looked inside yet, though," she went on. "I didn't want to risk messing up a crime scene, if it actually is one."

She led them down the hall to 8E, letting out a confused hum when her master key didn't fit the lock.

"That's weird," she tried some of the others on the ring. "It worked when I showed it a few weeks ago."

"Mind if I take a look?" Nick moved next to her, kneeling to inspect the lock when she stepped aside. He pulled a couple tools from a pouch at his belt, and after a few silent minutes, they heard a soft click. "It looks like someone changed it, could that have happened without you knowing?"

She flushed again, this time with embarrassment.

"I did have to call a locksmith a little while ago," she said. "A few doors in this place kept getting stuck, I guess he could've come up here during one of his breaks and done it."

"You have his number anywhere? We may have to talk to him," Jeremy held out a paw. "I'm Sergeant Delgato, by the way, I'm sure my colleagues here didn't say anything."

"No, they didn't," she giggled, holding his paw a second longer than needed. "I should still have his card in my office somewhere, I'll see if I can find it."

She headed back to the elevator, glancing at Jeremy over her shoulder before turning the corner.

"You two can just shut up now," he looked back to the smaller males smirking up at him. Allan chuckled.

"I didn't say anything, did you, Nick?"

"Not a word," Nick tucked the tools away and got to his feet. "Now let's see what's going on in here."

He pushed the door open, his hackles raising when he saw the envelope taped to the wall across from them. It was a perfect match for the other two, right down to the bright red words stamped across the back.

"Guess that answers one of the questions I've had the last few days," he made his way through the small, furnished apartment, noting how it was completely spotless. Normally, he wouldn't have thought twice about it, the place had been empty for weeks, and it would've been cleaned for the showing, but now it only served to heighten the fear starting to squirm in his gut. He peeled the note off the wall and opened it, pulling out a single card.

 _'_ _I left a present for you somewhere. Hope you like it, sweetie!'_

If he'd had any doubts about this mammal's apparent obsession with him before, they were gone now. He looked to see Tony and Al already combing through the rest of the place: the combined living room and kitchen area, a small bathroom and an even smaller balcony, meaning there was only one area left.

 _Guess it's time to see what's behind door number three._

His paw shook as he reached for the knob, silently telling himself to get a grip as he turned it, then pushed the door slowly open.

And felt his stomach drop right through his feet.

" _No…_ "

* * *

"Nick?" Allan paused in his search, seeing the fox standing stock-still, staring blankly into the unit's only bedroom, his paw clenched around a piece of dark cream paper. "Oh shit…"

He came up behind the fox, his tail snapping between his legs.

Lying partway on his side, his wrists shackled to the plain brown headboard, was the nude form of a well-built honey badger, a length of ocean blue sheet still looped around his neck. Dark, bloodshot hazel eyes open and blank, bruised, swollen tongue lolling from his mouth. Nick audibly gulped, his fist tightening around the paper as he walked slowly forward, stopping short when music started to filter through the room. Al looked behind the door, seeing a CD player hooked up to a speaker, positioned so he'd hit 'play' when he'd nudged it open to slip inside.

 _'I made myself at home, in the cobwebs and the lies'_

 _'I'm learning all your tricks, I can hurt you from inside'_

 _'I made myself a promise, you would never see me cry'_

"Sounds like you guys found something," Jeremy came up behind him, choking on his next breath when he saw the scene. "Oh shit…"

"That's exactly what I said," Al came up beside Nick, who was still staring blankly at the victim's face. He took the male's shoulder, gently shaking him. "You doing okay there?"

It took a few more tries to get him out of it, but Nick eventually blinked, his expression still haunted when his attention snapped to the wolf.

 _'You'll never know what hit you, won't see me closing in'_

 _'I'm gonna make you suffer, this hell you put me in'_

 _'I'm underneath your skin'_

"I-I know him…" he said at last, drawing both their attention.

"What?" Jeremy stepped aside as Allan led the fox out, keeping his back to the corpse. Nick swallowed thickly, then nodded.

"H-His name's T…Tom," he started faintly. "T-Thomas Beckham, he…"

He swallowed again, then coughed.

"He was…my first boyfriend…"

Allan and Jeremy gaped at him, then turned back to the room. The door blocked the view of the bed, so even if it had been open, they still would've had to go inside to find the body, which the killer had likely done on purpose. After making sure the stunned fox wouldn't collapse, Al went to take another look, going around to the other side of the bed.

Only to see Beckham's tail had been completely severed, without even a drop of blood soaked into the sheets bunched beneath the wound.

 _Whoever did this was pretty damn careful,_ he went to the window, peeking through the closed blinds. It opened onto the fire escape, looking out over the empty stretch of land behind the building. _Easy escape route, too. They knew what they were doing._

"I just called it in," Jeremy stepped through the door, wincing when he saw the body again. "I can't even imagine what's going through Nick's head right now…"

"Me, either," Allan let the blinds fall. "You think we should tell Bogo to-"

"Not happening," Nick cut him off, his voice hard. They turned to him, barely able to recognize the cold look on his face. Al shivered.

"I-I know what that first note said," he managed. "But do you really think they'd-"

"I'm not about to take that risk, Wolfard," Nick spoke over him. "The killer wants me to lead this case, and that's exactly what I'm gonna do."

Most of the precinct knew better than to argue when he, or Judy, got like this, but it still never stopped them from trying.

"Nick, think about it," Jeremy started. "Judy just had your son, do you really want to risk him growing up without you?"

"And what about Judy?" Allan put in. "Everything you guys went through, losing you would destroy her, especially with what's going on in her head right now."

Nick just kept staring at them, then shoved out a breath before heading back to the bedroom.

"We're looking for someone with at least some medical knowledge," he said flatly. "The tail was cut off at the joint that connects to the rest of the spine, and since the wound's been cauterized, with no visible trace of blood anywhere, I'd guess it was either done somewhere else, or…"

"They somehow managed it in a building full of mammals," Jeremy offered. "With no one noticing the smell of burning fur and skin."

"Exactly," Nick knelt by the bed, using his pocket flashlight to hold up the skirt and light the space beneath. "And it looks like I just figured out how."

An open container of scent neutralizer sat by each leg, ensuring anything set on top of the bed couldn't be tracked by smell.

"That still doesn't prove it was done here," Allan got to his feet. "I'll go check the security cameras, there's bound to be at least one shot of him."

He headed out, leaving the other two to wait for the forensics team to arrive. Jeremy turned to the speaker behind the door, had that song been on repeat this whole time?

"Is it supposed to sound like that?" was the singer a chipmunk? Nick shook his head.

"It's called nightcore," he explained. "It's a dance thing, you take a song and speed it up; some of the kids I've watched have really been into it."

He noticed the male was still doing his best to avoid looking at the body; he grabbed the wallet left in plain view on the nightstand, seeing it was empty aside from Beckham's ID.

"Looks like we've got also got a thief on our paws," he said. Nick sighed.

"That was probably more opportunity than anything else," he rubbed his eyes, though the lion couldn't tell if he was crying or not. He watched as Nick went to the dresser, leaning against it and staring out the room's other window, which opened onto a five-story free fall.

 _He's really gonna put himself through this, isn't he?_ He wondered about the note Al had mentioned, what must've been in it to make Nick so determined to lead this case. Would Bogo even be able to stop him from taking it?

 _I just hope he knows what he's doing,_ he headed for the living room, keeping an ear out for his coworkers. _Last thing we need is another funeral…_

* * *

Bogo drummed his fingers on his desk, eyes locked on the mammal across from him. Wilde, Delgato and Wolfard had returned from the Meadowlands hours ago, coming to his office one by one to explain what had gone down; he'd spent the last ten minutes in a staring contest with the fox, after he'd outlined the killer's original threat.

"I usually respect your decision, Chief," Nick started. "But I'm not budging on this."

He looked down at the first two notes, sealed in evidence bags.

 _'I want Sergeant Wilde to lead this case, and the longer it takes, the more mammals will pay.'_

 _'I hope you're ready to play, tough guy, because the game is about to begin!'_

The latest one had been sent to the lab for testing, though if it was anything like these, there wouldn't be much to go on, if anything.

"You know I normally wouldn't have any objections to you leading this case," he clasped his hooves, leaning forward to rest his chin on them. "But with the killer's apparent fixation on you, and now your personal connection with the victim, I just can't-"

 _"Oh, I think you might want to rephrase that, Adonis,"_ a digitalized voice came through the intercom. Bogo glanced at Nick before hitting the button to respond.

"Is this some kind of joke?" he demanded. "Who are you?"

There was a giggle.

 _"Oh, I just_ can't _give that away now, sweetie,"_ the voice said. _"The game's barely even started!"_

"What game are you talking about?" Nick snapped. "What do you want with me?"

 _"Sergeant Wilde, so good to hear from you!"_ another giggle. _"But I'm afraid you'll have to play just a bit longer to learn that! Which brings me back to the reason I called in the first place."_

A short pause.

 _"I know what you were about to say, Adonis,"_ they went on. _"And I can tell you that taking Sergeant Wilde off this case would be a bad idea, a_ very _bad idea."_

"What the hell are you talking about?" Bogo had about lost his patience. They sighed.

 _"No need to get testy, sweetie, I was just about to tell you!"_ they cleared their throat. _"I meant what I said when I wrote that message, taking him off this case will just lead to more trouble. And before you ask, I already have several_ specific _targets in mind."_

Bogo couldn't help the chill that ran down his spine. This mammal was just too casual about what they were saying, their static-backed words actually more excited than anything. His eyes flicked to one of the frames on his desk, to his wife holding their newly adopted daughter, the little ten-year-old smiling so wide he'd been amazed her face could hold it.

 _"That's right, sweetie,"_ the excitement had vanished. _"I've been watching you,_ all _of you, for a long time, and I don't have any qualms about offing kids. So, unless you want your precinct to start planning funerals, I suggest you let our favorite cop head this case. Do we have a deal?"_

Bogo stared across the desk at Nick, who had the same shell-shocked look he was sure his face did.

"I guess I have no choice," he hit the button. "I can promise that Sergeant Wilde will head this case, as long as _you_ keep up _your_ end of our little deal."

 _"Perfect!"_ the excitement was back, like it had never left. _"Then it looks like we'll get along just fine, see you all soon!"_

The line cut off, leaving the office in uneasy silence. Nick broke it first, clearing his throat while scratching the back of his head.

"T-Thank you for that, Chief," he said quietly. "I know that wasn't easy."

Bogo sighed.

"I wouldn't thank me just yet, Wilde," he rubbed a hoof over his face. "We still hardly know what this mammal wants."

"They's got my attention, at least," Nick returned. "I'm not happy about it, but if it means fewer mammals in danger, then I'm willing to give it."

"Then I expect you to keep me in the loop," Bogo said sternly. "The last thing I need is you going AWOL again."

Nick winced, but nodded.

"Understood, Chief, I'll update you when I can," he slid off the chair. "That everything?"

"For now, Wilde," he waved the fox out. "Dismissed."

Nick nodded, then stepped out, the door clicking softly shut behind him.

 _Don't let this be the one that gets away from you,_ he turned to another frame, almost hidden behind the first. _Or you'll never forgive yourself…_

* * *

 _The Devil Within belongs to The Digital Daggers._


	15. A Line to the Past

It was after ten when Nick finally slipped through the door, wincing at every creak his careful steps caused, the nearly silent clinks as he slowly lowered his keys into their porcelain bowl. He still remembered the first time he'd worked this late without telling Judy, shortly after he'd been cleared for light duty. She'd sprained her wrist pretty badly while subduing a perp, a hare they'd caught trying to pickpocket an unsuspecting wolf. Who'd also happened to have a standing warrant out for his arrest. Of course, he'd split the second he'd spotted them, and it had taken a good half hour for them to finally corner him. Judy had jumped in without thinking, while Nick had blocked his escape route from the dead end alley.

He'd kept a close eye on the struggle, and had still managed to miss how the hare had pulled it off. All he'd known was that Judy had suddenly screamed, and the perp had tried to make it past him. He'd thrown out a paw almost without thinking, catching the hare's arm in a grip that just kept tightening the more he'd fought to get loose. He'd forced the male's paws behind his back and cuffed him, hating the pain that'd kept flashing across Judy's face as she'd called it in.

Bogo had given her the afternoon off to recover a bit, leaving Nick to process the case on his own. It hadn't taken him long to finish, but then he'd gotten caught in the backlog he'd let pile up, and by the time he'd looked at the clock again, it had been going on ten-thirty. He hadn't even thought to call her before rushing out, sure she'd be ticked with him for making her worry. She'd been waiting for him on the couch, and seeing her then had suddenly filled him with a new mix of emotions: pride that she'd taken her life back in her paws, joy that she'd decided to spend it with him.

He'd also been relieved that she was okay, that they'd both managed to come out of such a crazy set of events alive, but the strongest of all had been love. For the bunny who'd believed in him and helped him change his life, renewed for the incredible city they called home, for the job that was even more fulfilling than he'd ever thought it could be. He'd apologized for not telling her he'd be late, that he'd just lost track of time, kneeling down when she'd tugged his tie to bring him closer to her level. She'd squeaked in surprise when he'd pulled her into a dip, the sound melting into a soft moan as they'd shared a hot kiss.

It'd been the first time he'd touched her like that since the night she'd left Darwin, as they'd promised to live as friends until her divorce was finalized. But he hadn't been able to help himself, and they'd only been able to keep it for a few more weeks, anyway. He'd gotten hit by a fox cyclist outside the precinct, she'd lost control after turning too fast, which had thankfully just left him with bruises and scrapes. Judy had been terrified regardless, since his bullet wounds had barely finished healing, and when he'd come back to their cubicle after getting patched up, she'd stood up on her small chair and kissed him. An act he'd only been too happy to return.

He chuckled silently, remembering the applause that had broken out from some of their coworkers, how later that same week they'd been called to Bogo's office. Judy was up for a promotion, detective in the homicide devision, but amazingly he hadn't brought up their relationship, likely because she'd still been technically married at the time. But once the papers had been filed and they'd been able to start dating, the Chief hadn't had any choice but to end their partnership. By then they'd both made the transfer, and she'd spent as much time doing her job as she had being sick, so she hadn't had any trouble transferring to narcotics, their separation at work just making their life at home better.

And once he'd heard he was up for detective, he'd decided it was time to propose to her. He'd chosen the same bridge where they'd made up after that first press conference, to show just how far they'd come together. They'd worn the same outfits they had that day, even if she'd had to get new jeans and he a new shirt, and they'd enjoyed a sweet, simple picnic as they'd watched the sunset. He'd waited until the stars had started showing before pulling away from her, his nerves a mess as he'd walked to the other side of the bridge, hitting record on the camera he'd set up in the grass before calling her over. It had taken several tries to record the message without his voice cracking, his heart swelling when he'd heard her small gasp as he'd played it the second time, the look on her face when he'd shown her the ring.

He's practiced that move for days, closed in their spare room after she'd gone to bed, mouthing the words until he'd felt confident enough to record himself saying it. He'd just used his phone for that, though, since she would've suspected something if he'd kept asking to borrow her carrot pen. They'd already planned the picnic for when he'd been promoted, and he'd swiped the recorder while she'd freshened up, finishing just as she had. He'd taken his shower while she'd gotten the food together, the pen and ring box already tucked in the pocket of his slacks. He'd taken a few extra minutes to brush out his fur, wanting to look his best when he'd finally asked her to be his wife.

The evening couldn't have gone more perfectly, the sky clear and the breeze cool, while crickets and frogs had provided soft ambience. He'd made the excuse of spotting something on the path when the time had hit, calling his curious bunny over so he could show her what it was. She'd had no idea what was going on until he'd played the message, turning and kneeling with the box resting in his palm. He'd gotten her size one of the nights she'd passed out after work, wrapping the little paper ruler around her finger after he'd tucked her into bed, and had used the same jeweler that had made his mother's. He'd gladly repeated the question when she'd asked him to, seeing the joyful tears in her eyes when she'd said yes.

He had to stop his tail from wagging like crazy as he crept toward the bathroom, taking just enough time to brush his teeth before heading to their bedroom. Isabel had texted him when she'd left at nine-thirty, saying Judy and Terry were already asleep, and likely still would be when he got home. He stripped to his briefs before sliding under the covers, curling around the small, fuzzy ball she'd pulled herself into, taking her gently in his arms and laying a soft kiss to the back of her head.

"I love you," he barely whispered it, not wanting to wake her, nuzzling the fur between her ears as he let himself drift off, smiling when he felt her snuggle closer to him.

* * *

He woke up when she did, breathing in the warm scent of bunny, nipping her neck when she stretched against him. She giggled, pushing his smiling snout away as she sat up, looking so beautiful in the early morning sunlight streaking through the gaps in their blinds. She was wearing her favorite nightshirt, with the faded picture of them at that Gazelle concert years ago. He always had loved how she looked in black.

"Hey, you," she smiled down at him, still lying on his side with his chin propped up on a paw. She yawned softly and stretched again. "When'd you get back?"

"After ten," he pushed himself up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

She shrugged, letting the shirt ride up on her thighs as she slid out of bed, getting down on the floor to start her yoga routine. It had been one of her favorite kinds of exercise since childhood, and had certainly helped develop her flexibility for the academy.

"It's not like I've never done that before, I probably wouldn't have seen it, anyway," she balanced on one foot, holding the other behind her. "Since I was bent over either Terry or the toilet all day."

She let her foot go and bent over, pushing up on her toes and the tips of her fingers, putting her tail almost at eye level for him. He reached out and stroked it, his paw drifting down over the curve of her rear.

"Looks like you're feeling better now, though," he chuckled as she shook off his grip, lowering herself back to the floor.

"I figured I'd eaten something bad," keeping her legs on the floor, she straightened her arms, tilting her head back. She smirked. "You remember the potatoes and chicken you shredded a couple days ago?"

"Yeah," his eyes widened in realization. "Wait, you didn't…"

"Yep," she turned on her back, steadying herself with her elbows as she straightened her legs in the air. "I wasn't paying attention, and I ended up eating the chicken."

He stared at her, then started laughing, holding a paw to his mouth to muffle it.

"How could you do something like that?"

She stuck her tongue out at him, then put her paws on the floor and rose into a bridge.

"Just because I act wide awake doesn't mean I am, fox," she wrinkled her nose, wobbling a bit when she sneezed. "And I was so stuffed up from my allergies I couldn't tell the difference, anyway."

She held the position a minute longer, then gracefully pulled up out of it. Cupping her paws to her face, she sneezed again, then a third time.

"Ugh, I'll have to grab some allergy stuff when I get a new toothbrush later," she shook her head, then went for the closet, eventually coming out with the purple gown his mother had made for her. "Could you help me with this? I want to see if it still fits."

"Sure," he swung his legs over the side of the bed, watching as she pulled off her nightshirt and slipped into the gown. She turned, perking up her ears as he messed with the laces, hoping she wouldn't notice he'd had to keep them just a bit looser than the last time she'd worn it. The last thing he wanted was her getting hurt because she'd pushed herself too hard. "And it looks like I was right again."

"Oh yeah?" she giggled as she turned to him. "About what?"

He smiled, brushing her cheek with the back of his paw.

"You look incredible," he nuzzled her nose with his, then lightly kissed it. Her ears flared, perking up again when Terry started crying across the hall. He traced a claw over her lips, reaching behind her to undo the laces. "You get dressed, I'll take care of pipsqueak."

She scoffed, batting at him as he got to his feet, chuckling on his way to the nursery. He cringed as the smell hit him, but it was as Judy had said, all he needed was to get used to it. Terry's crib, and in fact most of the furniture in the room, was just about waist-high to him, but he had no problem kneeling down, reaching in to take the tiny, squirming kit in his paws. He'd had to help with their nieces and nephews more than once, and if he could handle something as small as a full-blooded bunny kit, he could handle his own half-fox son.

 _Ugh, what is she feeding you?_ He laid Terry on the changing table, wondering how long it would be before he was as fast as Judy. He'd just finished when he felt slim arms wrap around his waist, draping his tail around her in return.

"So what am I missing at work today?" Judy buried her face in his fur. He sighed.

"We had a murder yesterday," he started. "An apartment complex, I'm checking in with witnesses."

The hug tightened a second before she pulled away, coming around to look at him.

"There are still times I wish that wasn't part of the job," she said quietly, brushing a paw across Terry's head. He grabbed her finger and started to suck on her claw. Nick cupped her cheek, tilting her head back.

"I know, but no matter how evolved we get, there will always be mammals who want to hurt others," he stroked her fur with his thumb. "And all we can do is our best to stop them."

It was a sobering thought, a harsh reality they risked facing every day, and not just because they were cops. The shadows those mammals hid in were everywhere, and no matter how hard they tried, there was just no way to light them all. She took his paw, her eyes shining with worry as she looked up at him.

"Promise me you'll be careful, okay?" her claws dug in slightly. "Please, I-I don't think I could-"

"Hey, hey," he knelt down, nuzzling her nose again. "I'll be as careful as I can be, Carrots, no stupid risks, no going in without backup, I'll do it all by the book."

He scent-marked her, ending the action with a soft lick to her forehead.

"I won't leave you and Terry alone, I promise."

She sniffled a bit, then hugged him, dragging her chin along his chest before doing the same to his snout.

"I'm sorry for being such an emotional bunny, Slick," she pressed her paws to his shoulders. He marked her again.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried, Fluff, but it's part of the job," he kissed her lightly, getting to his feet after she took their son. "Speaking of which, I better get going, I've got a lot of mammals to talk to today."

He didn't normally work Sundays, but if this case became as big as he and Bogo believed it would, then he'd need every minute he could get. He started back to their room, pausing when he realized she still held his wrist.

"Something wrong, Fluff?"

She shook her head.

"I just feel bad about ruining our date last night, so I was wondering if we could have a do-over? Maybe tonight?"

He scratched his cheek.

"I was actually gonna hit the gym after work if I could swing it," he smirked down at her. "Don't think I forgot that 'getting soft' comment."

She giggled.

"I might just join you then, they did just finish that 'nature trail' on the top floor," she let Terry play with her fingers. The indoor track had been redone to look like a dirt path, the walls painted with bright, beautiful murals featuring all kinds of flowering plants, the ceiling an azure sky dotted with puffy white clouds. It had also been largely sound-proofed, so the recorded sounds of birds, running water and rustling leaves could be heard over the crazy mix of noise from the weights and sparring areas below. "It'll be good to get out for a while, and not just so I can show off this little cutie."

She nuzzled their son's forehead, giggling again when he took hold of her nose. Nick was glad to see her so happy, even if it was pretty clear her depression was still there. He figured it was just like anything else, there were good days and bad days, and when the bad ones showed up, he'd just have to do his best to be there for her, no matter what she might end up saying. He knelt down, kissing her one last time.

"I'll just have to be sure I can make it then, won't I?"

She smiled, stretching up just enough to lick his nose.

"Yeah, I guess you will."


	16. Taking Names

Wolfard was busy looking into Beckham's past, what Nick hadn't been able to tell them, at least, and Tony had been called out to help direct traffic around an eight-car pileup on the main road out of the city, amazingly with no fatalities. Nick didn't mind working on his own, at least when it came to interviews, even if he was still surprised how comfortable most mammals were around him now. Sure, he'd had a major role in nearly every big case the last few years, and even outside of that had proven himself a capable officer, but it still struck him as odd how so many just seemed to forget their prejudice toward foxes when they saw his badge.

 _Looks like things really are starting to change,_ he tapped at the door, his tail waving lazily as he waited. The unit to the left of their crime scene was his first stop, and he was a little shocked when the door finally opened, revealing a bluish-black fox kit dressed in a pink jumper and white shirt, barely tall enough to reach the knob. She looked up at him with wide amber eyes, her little arms wrapped around a stuffed lion nearly half as big as she was.

"Kenya?" she was picked up by a pair of dark brown hooves. "Who's at the door, honey?"

Nick stepped back as the door was nudged aside with a braced knee, a male deer blinking a bit when he saw who waited in the hall.

"Uh, Bailey Chase," he shifted Kenya to one arm, holding out a hoof. "I'm guessing you're here about what happened…next door?"

He swallowed nervously, Nick nodding as he shook Bailey's hoof.

"Sergeant Wilde, and I'm afraid so."

Bailey nodded, hopping carefully aside.

"Please, come in," he swallowed again. "I'd…rather not talk in the hall."

The layout was identical to the scene, which didn't surprise him. The buck set Kenya in his lap as he sat on the couch, motioning to the armchair.

"Go ahead and sit if you want, I have a feeling this won't be as short as it is on TV."

Nick chuckled, pulling out his notebook and pen as he took a seat.

"You'd be right about that," he glanced at Kenya, who was squirming to try and get off Bailey's lap.

"My husband and I just adopted her," the deer clarified, losing his grip on her. She slipped off his lap and toddled to Nick, dropping her toy as she held up her paws to him. Bailey laughed.

"She's become quite a fan of yours," he said. "She always gets glued to whatever she sees you on."

"Is that right," Nick looked down at her, putting his things aside as he bent to pick her up. She settled in against him like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Are you sure you want her hearing this?"

Bailey shrugged.

"She doesn't really understand Zootopian yet, we're trying to expose her as much as possible."

"I see," he gently warded her paws from his badge, not wanting her to prick herself on the heavy pin that kept it in place. He pulled his phone from the case at his belt. "And it looks like she's gotten pretty comfortable, so would you mind if I recorded the interview on this?"

He knew it wasn't exactly protocol, having kids around for an interview, but he couldn't bring himself to dislodge the little kit, and this would be faster than scribbling notes down, anyway.

"Sure," Bailey cleared his throat, leaning over the arm of the couch to grab two water bottles from a mini fridge stashed under the end table. "Our son and his friends love playing in here, just made sense to do this."

He set them on the coffee table, then grabbed an ice pack from the tiny freezer compartment, groaning a bit as he undid the brace and propped his leg on the couch, setting the pack on his knee. He waited until Nick had started his voice recorder before talking again.

"We'd just gotten back with her," he looked at Kenya, a fond smile on his lips. "It was the second or third night when we started hearing stuff over there. Things getting moved around, mammals talking, some screaming and, eh, wall banging sometimes…"

He cleared his throat, ears tinted red in embarrassment. Nick winced in sympathy.

"Anyway, we thought someone had rented the place, since Juniper had been sowing it, but then after a couple weeks it suddenly got quiet over there again," he shook his head. "That's actually when mammals started complaining about the noise, we knew something just wasn't right."

He grunted as he reached for his water, downing a few sips before wiping his mouth. Nick toyed with his pen on the arm of the chair, his other arm tucked around the now-dozing Kenya.

"Besides Juniper and the mammals she was showing it to, did you ever see anyone enter or leave the apartment?" he asked. Bailey shook his head.

"Just that, I think he was a wolverine, once in a while?" he grinned nervously. "Nice-looking guy and everything, but he was pretty quiet, at least, most of the time."

Nick's eyes narrowed slightly as the deer kept messing with his hooves, his left ear flicking ever so often.

"How'd you mess up your knee?"

"I slipped on a patch of ice in Tundra Town last week, the market there is the only place Kenya will eat fish from," his ear flicked again. Nick couldn't tell yet if it meant something or not. "We thought we'd let her get used to the city before we tried to change anything."

"I see," Nick brushed Kenya's tail aside, she squeaked softly in her sleep. "Have you or your husband noticed anything else strange or out of place the last few weeks? Maybe a mammal that didn't belong here?"

Bailey thought a moment.

"Not that I can remember off the top of my head, but both of us usually work during the day and turn in pretty early. I'm only home now because of Kenya and this," he shifted his knee, then winced. "Aaron should be home in a few hours, though, he might know more."

Nick nodded, reaching in another pouch on his belt to pull out one of his business cards.

"Thanks for your time. I've still got some witnesses to talk to, but if either of you remember anything else, you can reach me at this number," he set it on the table, Kenya whining softly as he got to his feet, still cradling her. He leaned down, hitting 'stop' on the recorder and snapping his phone in its case. He went over and set the kit in Bailey's lap, grabbing the water bottle on his way out. He paused at the door, throwing up a casual salute. "See ya!"

* * *

"And you're sure you never saw anyone go in the apartment with him?"

Nick looked at the older sheep couple sitting across from him, the ewe tapping her hooves nervously on the needlepoint sitting in her lap. It was already his sixth interview of the day, and so far everyone had told the same story. They'd all thought Beckham had rented the apartment, he was quiet and kept to himself, and no one had ever seen another mammal enter or leave the apartment, with or without him. She looked at her husband, his brow furrowed as he tried to think, until he finally shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but we've told you all we can," his tone was curt, and Nick knew it was more than just impatience. "That guy was a loner, and if he ever did meet up with anyone, we never saw it, even if we could hear it."

The ewe's ears went slightly red. This unit was right under the scene, and from what some of the others had described, the sounds coming from it had been impossible to miss. Nick took out another one of his cards, he'd have to get more printed up before this case was over.

"If you remember anything else, please don't hesitate to call," he set it on the coffee table and got to his feet. "Thank you for your time."

He headed out, stopping in the small lounge area set up in the nook by the elevator. He sat heavily by the window, letting his head fall against the back of the seat. He hadn't seen Thomas since their break-up almost twenty years ago, but it was still more difficult than he'd thought it would be to treat him as just another victim, instead of one he had a personal connection to. The descriptions of him so far said he hadn't changed much since high school, still the quiet loner who barely even looked at most mammals, let alone interacted with them. Nick wasn't sure why he'd been the exception, even if their relationship hadn't lasted beyond a few months.

His ears flicked when his phone buzzed, he pulled it out to see Al's number on the screen.

 _"You got anything yet?"_ the wolf didn't waste time. Nick sighed.

"Pretty much nothing," he looked out the window, seeing the sky was overrun with heavy clouds. "I'm starting to think we're chasing a ghost."

 _"Well, don't call the Ghoul Grabbers just yet,"_ he chuckled at his own joke. Nick just rolled his eyes. _"Aw, come on, nothing? Anyway, I just tracked down Beckham's wife, she lives above her family's dress shop in the Canal District."_

Nick perked up a bit. There hadn't been any ring on Thomas' paw, or even a photo in his wallet.

 _"He obviously didn't come home the night he was killed,"_ Tails went on. _"She just reported him missing an hour or so ago."_

Nick winced, the call had come up right in the middle of an interview, and he'd declined it. He swallowed.

"I've gotten the same story six times already," he got to his feet. "I'll just tell Juniper to have anyone with new information call me. What's the address?"

 _"Uh, hang on,"_ there was some shuffling. _"Oh, here it is: Candle Cove, 612 Willow Loop."_

Nick scribbled it on his notepad, thinking he might as well use it for something today.

"Got it, heading out now," he stood, taking one last look out the window. That was the wealthiest area in the canals, which only made him more curious about his old flame. Thomas had pretty much dropped off the map after he'd ended it, and now all this new information about his life was coming out at once. It was more than a little hard to swallow.

 _"Oh, and Nick?"_

He hit the button for the elevator.

"Yeah?"

 _"You might want to be careful, his wife's kind of…over the top."_

He chuckled.

"I survived nine months with a pregnant bunny, Tails," he said fondly. "I don't think there's anything I can't live through now."

Al chuckled nervously.

 _"I'd still watch my back around her. I haven't dug too deep into it yet,"_ he added. _"But it's looking like she caused more than one problem for them."_

Nick's tail thumped against the elevator wall as he digested the information. Beckham had been going around behind his wife's back, meaning this case had just gotten even more complicated. He shoved out a breath, dragging a paw down his face.

"Right, I'll be sure to watch my tail," he looked up when the doors slid open. "I should get going, it'd be better not to waste time."

 _"No kidding,"_ he gave another weak laugh. _"See you at the precinct."_

"Yeah, sure," Nick hung up, a lump in his throat. He moved quickly through the lobby, bigger and brighter than the exterior of the building let on, stopping just long enough by Juniper's office to tell her about the hotline he'd be setting up for additional information. It had started raining when he got back to his car, typing the address into his GPS, lightning flashing overhead as he took off from the parking lot.

He just hoped it wouldn't turn out to be a bad omen.

* * *

The storm had just gotten worse by the time he hit the Canal District, and when he finally reached Candle Cove, he could barely see the road ahead. Willow Loop was exactly what it sounded like, a dead end street set on the bank of the district's main river, which fed melt water and other runoff from the mountains just outside the city wall. Nick parked by the curb several yards up the street, the closest to the dress shop he could get. He waited a few minutes, and when it was clear the sheets of rain outside wouldn't be slowing down any time soon, decided to just give in to his fate. He unbuckled and pulled up the center console, grabbing the ZPD issue raincoat he kept in the compartment beneath, designed to keep him as dry as possible.

 _Last thing anyone here needs is the smell of wet fox._

He yanked it on and hurried to the dress shop, avoiding every puddle he could on the way, his feet still half-soaked when he stopped under the awning in front of the door. Fabric Fantasies was painted in soft pastels, a small bell jingling above his head as he pushed the door open. It was much cheerier inside, the overhead lights bright enough to keep the store lit, yet dim enough to be comfortable for any mammal. The walls were lined with curved alcoves, set with racks of dresses and gowns for small to medium mammals, all sorts of styles, patterns and shades.

He pushed his hood back, his ears burning slightly when he noticed all the eyes on him, most of the mammals female. He flashed a charming smile, strolling to the counter, flashing his badge to the fairly attractive raccoon working the register.

"Sorry to cause a scene," he started softly. "But I need to speak with Mrs. Beckham."

Her earth brown eyes lingered on his badge before flicking to his face, then she reached under the counter for a cherry-red phone.

"Aunt Rose?" she said after a few seconds. "There's an officer here to see you, I think it's important."

"Thank you," Nick took the chance to look around again, ignoring the flirtatious smiles some of the girls sent him. He smoothed a patch of fur on his neck with his left paw, their smiles fading when they saw the gold ring that adorned it.

 _Sorry, ladies, I'm happily married._

"Sir?"

He turned, his eyes widening a bit when he saw the gorgeous badger looking up at him.

"I'm Rose Beckham," she wrung her paws, which looked stronger than her slender frame would lead one to believe. Her dark blue eyes fairly sparkled when the light hit them, and he sorely wished he didn't have to be the one to douse the hope that filled them. "Is something wrong, Officer-"

"Wilde," he glanced around again, starting to unzip his coat. "Is there somewhere private we can talk?"

"Of course. Selena," she turned to the raccoon. "Are you okay to mind the shop a bit longer?"

Selena didn't answer, in the middle of ringing up a customer. Nick followed Rose up the back stairs to her apartment, which she'd presumably shared with Thomas.

"I'll hang that up for you," she took his jacket before he could say anything, putting it on an old mannequin set by an air vent. The small entryway at the head of the stairs was fairly plain, as he'd expected, the living room only slightly more opulent. Thomas never had been one for excess, at least when it came to showing off wealth, and it seemed Rose was just the same.

"Can I get you a coffee, or some tea?" she was already bustling around in the kitchen, all white marble, light wood and chrome. "Just take a seat, I'll be out in a minute!"

The soft cream carpet was plush, a perfect contrast to the dusty red sofa he sat down on, across from a high-backed chair of the same design. The walls were off-white, the drawn curtains layered and gauzy, plain black frames scattered across various furniture and shelves. Those photos documented a happy life, from what he could tell: Thomas and Rose at their wedding, more than one where they were holding a younger Selena, where either were just smiling at the other while they took the picture.

"Sorry if I seem overbearing," Rose set a silver tray on the table in front of him, with a pot of tea and one of coffee, along with a small bowl of tiny sugar cubes, a full creamer and a plate arranged with a circle of biscotti. She poured some tea for herself, squeezing a few drops from the lemon slice already wedged on the rim of her mug. "It's a nervous habit, and I'm just so worried about Tommy."

Nick winced, Thomas had always hated when mammals called him that, at least while he'd known him. Just how much had that stubborn honey badger changed?

"It's fine, Mrs. Beckham," he assured her, pouring some coffee, a light roast with a tinge of vanilla. He added a little bit of cream and stirred, dragging in a breath to steady his nerves before taking a sip. It had been his grandfather's favorite, his aunt's, too. "But I'm afraid you're right to be worried."

She froze, a cookie dropping from her loose fingers to clatter back on the dish. She swallowed, her paw shaking as she put down her mug more heavily than needed, likely to keep it from slipping, too.

"I-I thought so when he didn't call me back," she twisted her wedding and engagement rings, both gold with a band of diamonds in the middle. "H-He always does."

She looked up at him, her eyes shining with tears.

"Please…tell me what happened to him."

Nick took another sip, gripping the mug in both paws in his lap, focusing on the heat to try and steady himself.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Beckham," he started. "But I'm afraid your husband…was found dead yesterday morning."

She froze, her face slowly tightening as she fought to hold back tears, until she finally let out a long, anguished wail.

"No!"


	17. Strange Feelings

Nick gave her as long as she needed to compose herself, his heart breaking as he thought about the rest of the bad news he still had to give her. No matter what the crime scenes or bodies looked like, this would always be the worst part of the job.

"I'm truly sorry for you loss, Mrs. Beckham," he said softly. She sniffled, wiping her nose with a slightly oversized tissue, her mascara starting to run as she looked up at him. He dragged in a breath, no going back now. "But I'm afraid I have to ask…did you ever think he was cheating on you?"

She froze again.

"W-What?"

"We found him in an apartment that was supposed to be vacant," he explained, keeping his voice low. "Nothing to indicate he was married, so either it was all stolen, or he was trying to hide that fact."

She just stared at him, then her vacant eyes dropped to her lap, to the rings that adorned her finger.

"I knew it," she muttered flatly. "As soon as I saw that new assistant of his, I knew he'd go after her!"

She stood suddenly and yanked the rings off, Nick ducking as she chucked them over his head; he winced as they crashed against the wall, clattering when they landed on the small table set against it. He watched as she started pulling at her fur, her claws digging in deeply, her eyes clinched shut as tears continued to leak down her striped cheeks. After a few minutes, she plopped back down, grabbing a few more tissues from the box at her side, swiping half-heartedly at her face.

"I-I'm sorry, again, I-I just…" she blew her nose into her crumpled pawful of paper. "H-How could he do that to me? After so long?"

He pulled out his notepad.

"How long were you two married?"

She hiccuped.

"W-We were coming up on thirteen years," she dragged her paws down her face again. "I-I thought we were happy, b-but the last few months have just been…"

She sighed, throwing her arms down.

"I-I thought he was just bored, s-so I tried different things in the bedroom, I-I planned weekend trips, anything I could think of," she paused as Nick jotted some things down. "A-And then I tried to surprise him one day at work…and…"

She tensed up, her fists tightening on her loose floral skirt.

"I saw him with his assistant, in our favorite restaurant on my way there!" she pounded her fists on her thighs. "Everything I did for him, and he goes with that…that little floozy!"

Nick dragged the tray closer to him, just in case she felt like throwing something else. Thankfully, she didn't, instead grabbing the throw pillow beside her and burying her face in it to muffle her scream. He couldn't blame her, though, not with everything he'd just thrown at her.

"I know how difficult this must be," the words always sounded fake, no matter how much he meant them. "If you need me to come back later, I can-"

"No!" her head shot up, her lipstick now as smudged as her mascara and eyeliner. She cleared her throat. "I-I mean, please don't go, I-I can answer your questions, whatever you need me to!"

The way she looked at him then was unnerving, but since he couldn't quite place the feeling, he pushed it aside.

"We haven't been able to pinpoint a time of death yet," he clarified. "But can you tell me where you were between ten and one Saturday night?"

She rubbed her eyes.

"I-I was here with Selena, we were putting the finishing touches on a dress for one of our clients, her daughter's christening is tomorrow," her eyes narrowed as he scribbled out notes, her voice suddenly cold. "I didn't kill him, if that's what you're thinking. If I were that kind of mammal, I would've gone after that little side piece of his."

His paw jerked, leaving a messy streak on the page.

"You do realize who you just admitted that to," it took a lot to keep his voice steady, she'd been so nonchalant about it!

"Oh, I know," she crossed her arms, squishing the pillow down in her lap. "I'm just saying that if it had been me, he wouldn't have been the body you found."

He realized how long it had been since she'd said her husband's name, the vibes she gave off telling him Wolfard's warning had been right on the money. He didn't ask any more questions after that, instead just letting her say whatever she wanted to, taking down what was most likely to be important later, stopping by the cashier desk downstairs to confirm with Selena what her aunt had said, along with a few other unsettling tidbits.

"She acts like they're always perfectly happy," the teen said quietly, keeping an eye on the staircase. "But the truth is they fought a lot, but good luck getting anyone around here who'll tell you what any of it was about."

He gave her his card anyway, saying if she ever felt like discussing it, he'd be ready to listen. She'd tucked it away so fast he'd barely seen her do it, then gone back to the register like she'd never noticed him in the first place.

 _She's saying a lot more than she thinks she is,_ he hurried through the rain, which had at least slowed by that point, looking back at the shop once he was safely in his car. _Guess all I can hope is we don't get another body connected to Mrs. Beckham…_

* * *

He spent the latter half of the day going over reports and statements, unable to get Rose's reactions out of his head. She'd started out as a genuinely grieving widow, then as soon as he'd brought up Thomas' possible infidelity, she'd gone icy so fast he was amazed she hadn't gotten frostbite. So far, though, he was positive she hadn't done it, as there hadn't been a single sighting of her, or any badger on the Oakwood building's security feeds, and there were no signs she'd ever stepped foot in the Meadowlands at all.

 _She's hiding_ something, he thought to himself, pushing back from desk to stretch. _But whatever it is, I don't think it's murder._

Thomas had already been dead when his tail had been cut off, strangled with the very sheet still tied around his neck. He'd also been cuffed, and so far they hadn't found any trace of drugs in his system, so either the killer was strong enough to subdue a full-grown, very fit honey badger, or he'd consented to being made completely helpless.

 _And if he was anything like he was in high school…_

He sighed, rolling back to his computer, staring blankly at the screen. It had been years since he'd thought about that part of his life, and now it looked like it was ready to come and bite him right in the ass.

 _No,_ he shook his head, forcing himself to type a few more lines of the preliminary. _I have to stay objective, or I'll never get through this._

He grabbed his phone when it started ringing, not even bothering to check the number before answering.

"Wilde here," he said flatly.

 _"Wow, no need to sound so excited,"_ Judy quipped sarcastically. He winced.

"Sorry, sweetheart," he slumped over the desk, rubbing his eyes with the side of his fist. "I've just been staring at the paperwork so long I'm starting to go cross-eyed."

She made a sympathetic noise.

 _"That's one thing I_ don't _miss about the job,"_ she cooed at Terry for a minute. _"How'd it go with the witnesses this morning?"_

He scoffed.

"And here I thought you actually cared about me," he smirked. "You're just after the crazy cases I bring in."

 _"Har har,"_ she was rolling her eyes, he just knew it. _"Humor me, Slick, I feel like my brain will turn into mush if I keep watching daytime TV."_

He chuckled a bit.

"Well, our perp was apparently able to avoid every camera in and around the Oakwood Apartments building, and everyone thought the unit our vic was found in had been rented until it just went silent again a couple weeks later," he took a sip of his long cold coffee, gagging a bit at the taste. "And they're all saying they never saw anyone but our vic go in or out of it, so we're either chasing a ghost or someone who knows the cameras' blind spots like the back of their paw."

 _"Cameras, I can understand, but a whole building's worth of mammals? Not so much,"_ there was a soft rustle. _"Ugh, I thought having the baby meant your feet_ stopped _hurting…"_

"I wouldn't know, Fluff," he leaned back again, putting one arm behind his head. His mood always lifted when he talked to her. "Maybe that's a sign you've let yourself get too lazy."

 _"Oh, bite me, fox."_

He laughed.

"You know I'd love to, sweetheart," he lowered his voice. "And if you're good, it might just happen tonight."

She groaned, and he could envision her biting her lip, her tail twitching as she thought of it. It certainly got his going.

 _"Oh, if I were at the precinct right now…"_ she cleared her throat. _"So you really have no idea what kind of mammal you're looking for?"_

"Nope, the only prints and fur at the scene were Beckham's, and all that scent-neutralizing crap I found means we can't even use that," he started typing with one paw, holding the phone to his ear with the other. "We didn't find any traces of blood, either, or even broken claws."

 _"Wow, so you really are going blind on this one,"_ she paused a second. _"I know what might help cheer you up, can you turn on Muzzletime?"_

"Sure," he set his phone in the cradle attached to the wall by his monitor, then tapped the camera icon. A few seconds later, she showed up onscreen, waving happily to him, Terry cuddled in her lap and staring curiously at her phone.

 _"Look, honey, there's Daddy!"_ she centered the shot on their son, the kit making soft noises as he reached out his tiny paws. Nick smiled.

"Amazing how I just have to look at you to start thinking that nothing's impossible."

Her ears, what he could see of them as the view straightened, went a few shades darker.

 _"Glad to see I keep your morale up, it's sounding like you need it,"_ she bit her lip. _"Are you sure there's nothing else you can try?"_

He took a moment just to look at her before answering.

"I don't think so. There weren't any drugs or alcohol in Beckham's system, or any trace of them in the apartment, so we don't even have that to try and go on."

 _"What about the locksmith?"_ she asked. He shook his head.

"Turns out that was our vic's side job, Juniper identified him as the one she'd called just before all this went down."

 _"Crackers, I was hoping we'd have something there,"_ she sighed. _"So what's the plan now?"_

"I'm gonna finish going over these statements," he shrugged. "Then I think I'll just clock out a bit early, I could really use that gym session right now."

She giggled.

 _"Our usual one, right? I can just get changed real quick and meet you there, as long as you don't mind driving home."_

"Don't I always?" he smiled at her. "I'll see you soon, Carrots."

 _"You too, love you, Slick."_

"Love you, Fluff."

* * *

The murals were even brighter than she'd thought they would be, though that was probably in part due to the storm still going outside. The ceiling was cut in various spots with windows, the thick glass panes spattered and dripping with water. Judy breathed deeply, telling herself it was the clean, free scents of Bunnyburrow, instead of the mixed musk of a hundred plus mammals seasoned with the tang of metal and the burn of thick rubber.

 _You'd think they would've figured out how to make that stuff smell better by now,_ she couldn't remember when the scent hadn't bugged her. _I can't imagine what it must be like for someone with a better nose._

The center of the track was filled with clear panels to help cut down on the noise from the first floor she kept to the innermost lane as she meandered along, either admiring the paintings or leaning through the railing to try and catch a glimpse of Nick. She hadn't had much luck, even his distinct coloring easy to miss among the crowd.

He'd been a third through his laps when she'd arrived, and had walked a couple extra with her when he'd finished, her paw clasped tightly in his. After a quick peck to her cheek, he'd headed downstairs, and for the next thirty minutes she'd just let her mind wander, brought back to reality once in a while when someone stopped to coo over Terry.

 _I'd love to go and watch Nick for a while,_ she tucked her other arm under their son, shaking out the one that had started going numb. _But he just fell asleep, I can't risk waking him up just for that. Besides, I'll get a private show later, just like I always-_

"Judy?"

She jumped, spinning to see a tall, charcoal bunny smiling guiltily at her, his white teeth movie star straight.

"Sorry, wasn't trying to scare you," he came closer. "How long you been coming here?"

She swallowed, silently berating herself for being caught off-guard.

 _Dumb bunny, you're already getting soft!_

"Oh, hey, Nate," she smoothed her ears back. "A few years, it's really popular with us mammals in blue."

She laughed nervously, trailing off when she saw he wore nothing but a pair of jogging shorts, his dark fur partially flattened by sweat. He shrugged.

"This is the closest to my apartment, just moved in a few days ago," he cocked a brow. "What's that?"

"Huh?" she followed his gaze to the blanket tied across her chest. Had he already forgotten? "Oh, this is my son, Terry, he's almost a month old."

Nate leaned slightly closer, as if to get a better look at the kit, then drew back.

"Cute kid, never thought about having them myself, though," he started walking, sliding one paw from his pocket to drag it slowly through the thick fur between his ears. It hung just past his brow, casting a slight shadow that just made his blue-green eyes even harder to miss. "His dad a good guy?"

She blushed.

"Oh, yes, very," she peeked past the railing again, still no sign of Nick. Where the heck did that fox get off to? "I seem to have lost track of him, though."

He didn't answer, looking around at the semi-realistic paintings.

"I'm wondering why they decided to do all this," he waved a paw in front of his face. "Wish they'd have made it smell better, too."

"Right?" she laughed, wincing when Terry shifted against her. There was no way to tell what would become a fit and what wouldn't. "I know they can do stuff like that, but I think it was just too expensive."

He chuckled.

"Or maybe they just wanted to give mammals something nice to look at so they forget how much it stinks, it's probably eight times worse for a wolf of bobcat."

 _Or a fox,_ she added silently, but for some reason couldn't make herself say it. She still didn't know Nate too well, and she was still trying to find some friends her own species. Sometimes a bunny just needed to talk to a bunny. She cleared her throat.

"So, how often do you plan on coming here?"

"Just about every chance I get," he moved off the track, to one of the corners mammals used to rest or stretch. "It's a great place to meet mammals, plus I've always been kind of a gym freak."

He bent forward, putting his paws flat on the floor.

"I was actually a gymnast when I was a kid," he held it a minute before straightening. "But I gave up on it after my dad left, I really only went because he forced me to."

He went to a bench for mammals their size, resting one foot on the edge and reaching out to grab it.

"My parents never got married," he went on, switching to his other foot. "They always got along pretty well, so I think it just kind of fizzled out."

Judy's eyes widened. A pair of bunnies that had a kit, possibly a whole litter together, and hadn't gotten married? Was that even allowed?

"I-I was raised in a…pretty traditional family," she flummoxed a bit. "My first marriage and what led up to it were…messy, to put it mildly."

He winced, stepping back from the bench and raising his paws over his head.

"I don't know anyone else in mine," he said. "Both my parents came to the city because they were running from all that."

"That's what happened with me, too," she wiped the corner of Terry's mouth. "Well, that and the fact I'd dreamt about becoming a cop here since I was nine."

He gaped at her, letting his arms drop.

"Wait, you mean you're Judy Hopps, _the_ bunny cop?"

She blushed. There still weren't any other rabbits on the force, even if it had become more of the norm for them to get accepted to the academy. There just hadn't been another that could handle it yet.

"It's Judy Wilde now, but yep, that's me!" she winced as Terry started fussing. "Oh, I better get him fed, it was nice seeing you again, Nate."

"You too, Judy," he smiled. "And I'm still open for lunch, you know."

"I might just take you up on that," she tucked both arms around her son as he started crying. "I'm starting to get kind of bored at home, I'll text you later so you have my number!"

She waved, then hurried downstairs, hoping she could get to a private corner before Terry started a full-on fit.

 _I'll have to find an excuse to get out of that lunch in case things get weird,_ she cringed. _Why the heck did I even agree to it?_

* * *

Nick texted her just before she'd finished, saying he was going to get a quick shower in before meeting her at the smoothie bar. She decided to spoil herself a little, ordering the new apple-mango smoothie some cheetahs had told her about on the track. It was cool, tasty and refreshing, just what she needed to finish relaxing.

"Looks like you're having fun," Nick sat next to her, his fur still slightly damp from his shower. She smiled at him, scooting closer to the edge of her stool when he laid an arm along the counter. He swiped her smoothie from behind her, his eyes full of mischief as he slurped up the last of it. "You still feeling stir-crazy?"

"Not as much," she pouted as he set down her empty cup, licking his lips. "I ran into Nate again, we're gonna meet up for lunch sometime soon."

His eyes narrowed a bit.

"You sure that's a good idea, Fluff?" he asked. "From what you've told me, he makes you uncomfortable."

She shrugged.

"I'm sure I'm just overreacting. He's been pretty nice so far, and you did say you wanted me to go out more."

He didn't look convinced. She sighed.

"Besides, I can handle him if he does try anything, and thanks to you I'm stuck in the habit of taking my badge everywhere," she pulled up her shirt, showing the small shield was hooked to her jeans as always. "I'll be fine, Nick."

He chuckled.

"Oh, it's not you I'm worried about, I know how you can get," he rubbed his stomach, where she'd given him a vicious kick during one of their last spars before she'd gotten pregnant. "And we were just training then, I'd hate to see what it's like when you're actually pissed."

She rolled her eyes.

"It's your fault, Slick," she admonished him. "You know what I can handle and what I'm capable of, but you never stop holding back with me."

He winced.

"That's because I know what _I'm_ capable of, Judy," he said seriously. "I've done a lot of damage to mammals three times my size and bigger, way beyond what you've seen."

He brushed her cheek with the backs of his fingers.

"I promise I don't hold back on purpose, I just wouldn't be able to live with myself if I ever actually hurt you."

She looked up at him, gasping softly when she saw the fear in his eyes. She swallowed, reaching up to take his paw, now perched on her shoulder.

"I understand, Nick, but you of all mammals should know I'm not as delicate as I look, none of us bunnies are," she tried to smile. "We managed to survive the Stone Age, didn't we?"

"That's true," he nuzzled the side of her head. "And I'm so glad you did."

She blushed, putting her ears down to hide it.

"So, you ready to get out of here?"

"You know it," he slid off the stool, grabbing her empty cup, offering his other paw to her. She giggled.

"My, what a gentlemammal," she took it, her blush deepening when she felt the strength in his fingers as they wrapped around hers. He smirked down at her, and she felt the heat of his gaze the whole way to the car. She buckled Terry into his carseat, rear-facing behind hers, folding the blanket she used as his carrier and tucking it in the glove compartment. She waited until Nick had shut his door, jumping him as he reached for his seatbelt, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt as she started kissing him. He returned it quickly, hugging her tightly.

"Not sure where this came from," he murmured when they parted. "But I'm not complaining."

He kissed her, letting his tongue slip past her lips, a low growl rumbling in his chest as she returned the touch eagerly.

"You just looked so hot in there," she panted, rooting through the fur of his neck, his heart thrumming loudly in her burning ears. "I'm surprised I made it this long."

She kissed him again, soft and tender this time, his gaze tracing briefly over her curves as she pulled away, his eyes smoldering when they locked back on hers.

"All I can say to that is thank god we only have a few more weeks," he grabbed her hips, his claws digging in slightly. "And as soon as it's up, I am gonna devour you."

She moaned, the sound turning into one of frustration when his phone went off, the ringtone telling her it was work-related. He pulled it from his pocket, smirking at her as he answered it.

"We'll continue this at home, sweetheart," he brought the phone to his ear. "Wilde here."

 _"Nick!"_ Leaper's voice was easy to hear. _"This is already the third time I've tried to reach you!"_

"Sorry, but I was a…bit tied up," he winked at her, putting an arm around her to keep her on his chest. "What happened?"

 _"It's big, Nick, and not in a good way,"_ the rookie gulped. _"We got a call from the White Water Sporting Goods store in Downtown, one of the employees found a body in the basement!"_

They gasped, Nick staring at her before focusing back on his phone.

"I'll be right there!"


	18. Insane

Nick was glad the shortest route to White Water Avenue took them right past their loft. He pulled up to the doors, trying not to think about whatever scene might be waiting for him this time.

"It's only been a few days since that other murder," Judy avoided saying Beckham's name, likely because she'd noticed him doing it. "You think it might be related?"

"It's pretty likely," he tapped his claws on the steering wheel, watching her from the corner of his eye. Usually, that was enough to calm him, but his nerves were just too frazzled this time. "But I can't say for sure before I've even seen it."

She took the blanket from the glove compartment, leaning over to touch his arm after unbuckling her seatbelt.

"You'll solve this case, Slick," she smiled, though it didn't fully reach her eyes. She was starting to get worried, and he couldn't blame her. "I know you will."

He put a paw over hers, squeezing it briefly.

"As usual, I'm not as enthusiastic," he shrugged. "But I've never let that stop me before, and I don't plan on starting now."

He leaned over and kissed her one last time, letting it linger for a second before she climbed out, his ears falling further when he heard their son. He'd already missed so much of Terry's life, and he had a feeling that wasn't going to change, at least not any time soon.

"I don't know how late I'll be home tonight," he said as she shut the front door and went to open the back. "I'm sorry I keep doing this to you, Carrots, especially now that we have the baby."

She looked at him, then shook her head.

"I accepted that when we decided to start trying for kits. We're both cops, Nick," she added. "It's part of the job, and I'm not going to fault you for that, especially with a case like this."

She unhooked the straps and lifted Terry out, nuzzling him before holding him securely to her chest.

"Besides, it's not like we could've helped the timing, either with Terry coming or this spree starting. It was just an unlucky coincidence, that's all," she climbed in just enough to clasp his shoulder. "And I know I just said this, but you really are a great cop, Nick, and I'm glad Zootopia has a mammal like you to protect it."

She scratched the side of his ear before pulling back out, waving to him in the rearview mirror before heading inside. He thought about hitting the lights, but thankfully the vehicle traffic was light enough this time of day that he was able to get to the location quickly, his gut clenching when he saw the reporters being held back by McHorn and Snarlov.

"Keep it clear," the bear was shouting. "You won't get any info if we can't get to the scene, so keep it clear!"

Nick chuckled a bit, pulling up with the marked cruisers, sliding on his aviators so he wouldn't go blind from flashbulbs. Several mammals in the crowd got even more excited when they noticed him, some of the smaller reporters even trying to slip between the officers' legs, only to be shoved right back.

"I'll answer your questions later," he spoke as best he could over the noise. "Right now, I've got a job to do!"

He nodded to Erik and Lance as he passed, neither of them looking too impressed with the quip. But then those two weren't really impressed with anything unless it involved some sort of butt-kicking.

"Nick!" Allan waved him over when he got inside. Nick pulled off his shades and hooked them in his shirt pocket, all cool professionalism as he headed toward the wolf, silently appraising the tall filly standing next to him. She looked to only be about sixteen at the most, her slim shoulders swallowed by the paws of the black bear standing behind her. "This is Dominica, she's the one who…found our victim."

"I see," Nick looked up at her, seeing the fear in her big, soft eyes, almost as dark as her coat. "You're very brave to speak to us after that, Nica."

She sniffled, wiping her eye with a hoof.

"I-I was just going down there to take stock, l-like I always do when we're getting ready to open or close," she started haltingly. "I-I saw the light was off and, w-when I turned it back on, I saw…"

She whimpered, burying her face in her hooves. The bear tightened his grip on her shoulders before guiding her to another employee, a colt with her same coloring and lighter eyes. Nick briefly wondered if he were her older brother before focusing on the bear, whom he guessed was the boss.

"I heard her scream," his voice was deep, gravelly like he smoked a lot. He dragged a paw through his graying headfur. "When I went down, I saw her curled up in the corner and shaking like a leaf. I asked her what was wrong, and she just pointed to the back room."

He swallowed.

"I'm wishing I didn't check before calling you guys, I don't think I'll ever get that out of my head, I can't even describe it…"

Nick glanced around him, seeing the high, thick door was propped open with a block of wood, lights spilling up the stairs from the lamps illuminating the scene.

"I understand," he pulled back, paws on his hips as he looked back to the bear.

"We'll take it from here, sir," he nodded toward the two young horses. "You go take care of your own."

The bear nodded, heading over to his shaken employees. Nick started down to the basement, Allan close behind.

"So what are we looking at here?"

"I'd say the same mammal who killed Beckham, song and everything," they reached the floor, the lyrics loud and clear.

 _'_ _I'm insane, you make me insane'_

 _'_ _I'm insane'_

 _'_ _Yes, I've warned you but you never listen'_

Nick couldn't hold back a shiver. He didn't even want to see where it ended up going from here. He pushed past the feelings, there'd be time to worry about them later, right now he had a victim to focus on.

"Have you found the note yet?"

"Right here," Al passed it to him, still closed. "It was on the floor in front of the body, I'm surprised it's still clean."

Nick stopped by the doorway, he'd never been able to read and walk without colliding with something, peeling off the sticker and pulling out the card inside.

 _'_ _I got a little more creative with this one, hope you like it, sweetie!'_

That sent ice down his back again. What was he about to walk into?

"You know what to do with this," he gave it back to Al, who had an evidence bag ready and waiting. His tail was nearly wrapped around his legs as he pulled back one half of the clouded plastic sheeting taped to the other side of the door frame, sucking in a breath when he finally saw the body. "Oh god…"

 _'_ _I'm insane, you make me insane'_

 _'_ _I'm insane'_

 _'_ _Think I'm craving some other attention'_

He dropped the sheet like it burned, his eyes wide as he stepped back, going stiff when he felt Allan's paw on his shoulder, the wolf gazing at him with sympathy.

"Going by that reaction, I'm guessing you knew her?"

Nick swallowed, then nodded, swallowing hard as he tried to collect himself. Slim and delicate, with silvery-gray fur that faded to pale yellow on her stomach and paws, her bushy tail tipped with mottled black. Her mouth gaping in a silent scream, her hazel eyes clouded, blood-shot and empty.

"H…" he choked on his next breath. "Her name's Sasha, and I used to think she was the love of my life…"

* * *

"Okay, so our vic's name is Sasha Draper, age thirty-two, species, cape fox," Tony tacked her pictures to the board next to Beckham's, one from when she was alive, the other from the crime scene. Her nose had been cut off, her head lying in a pool of half-dried blood. Like Beckham, she'd been completely naked, her wrists bound, though this time with some kind of brightly patterned tape instead of pawcuffs. "Besides her past relationship with you, Nick, the only thing she and Beckham seem to have in common is they were both born and raised in Zootopia."

Thomas had been thirty-eight, rough and physical while Sasha had been sweet and bookish. At two years, their romance was Nick's second-longest relationship, and had she not been disgusted when she'd learned he was working for Mr. Big, it was likely she'd be his wife right now.

"I might've found something else," Allan spoke up. He'd been digging into Sasha's life, turning his laptop around to show them. "Her address shows she lived with the same mammal listed as her emergency contact, another cape fox named Robbie Teppid."

Tony hummed thoughtfully, seeing Nick was still kind of out of it.

"You talk to him, Al," he said, eyeing the red vulpine slumped over the table. "I don't think Nick's feeling up for this one."

"Right," he closed out the file and shut his laptop, tucking it in the bag as he slid from his seat. "I'll see if anyone on their street noticed her acting weird the last few days, it might give us something."

Tony nodded, turning back to the board as their teammate headed out. Beckham and Draper had been about as different as two mammals could be, and now they were both dead under bizarrely similar circumstances, what the heck was going on here?

"I got some more info on our first vic," Nick spoke up, his voice low and sullen. He didn't lift his head from his arms, folded on the table top. "I stopped by that restaurant on the way back from White Water, showed them his picture. They all said he either came with his wife or, more recently, his sister, one of those separated at birth stories."

He shoved out a breath.

"They'd both agreed to get to know each other first before bringing their families into it."

Tony cringed, remembering what Nick had told him about Beckham's wife, how she'd blatantly admitted to an officer that she'd kill whoever her husband had cheated with, instead of the male himself.

"So, there's still the possibility he was seeing someone else, just not the girl Rose saw him with. Did they tell you her name," he went on. "Or where we could find her?"

Nick sighed again.

"Her name's Gemma Black," he said flatly, finally picking his head up. "Some of the staff overheard her say she was living in an extended-stay motel, backed against the Grand Pangolin Arms."

"I'll check it out," Tony scribbled the info in a free corner near her pictures. "Why don't you hang back from this case for a while? Tails and I can handle it."

Nick shook his head, about to speak when his phone rang. He took it from his belt, his tail puffing when the call was picked up even without him doing anything.

 _"I hope you enjoyed the gift, sweetie, because there's still a lot more where that came from!"_

Nick growled.

"How the hell are you even doing this?" he demanded. "I didn't accept the call!"

The mammal giggled.

 _"I managed to tap into Chief Bogo's intercom and you're just_ now _wondering how I'm doing it?"_ it was clear they didn't expect an answer, because they just kept talking. _"I noticed you were a little rattled after what I did to Sasha, so I'll keep this short. Basically, there's no such thing as completely secure technology, there's_ always _at least one way to get where mammals don't want you to go."_

They just stared at the fox's phone, Nick's paw starting to shake as his fingers tightened on it.

"How long have you been watching me?" his mood had done a complete one-eighty. "What the hell do you _want_ with me?!"

There was a pause, then the mammal laughed again.

 _"I thought that'd be obvious by now, sweetie,"_ they said. _"I'm trying to prove something to you."_

He scoffed.

"Prove what?"

Another pause, longer than the first.

 _"That I'm the only mammal that really understands you,"_ they said it like it was the most straightforward thing in the world. _"And what I want…is to be your new mistress."_

* * *

 _Insane- Myah Marie_


	19. Unwanted

The room was silent once the mammal hung up, Nick and Tony staring at the phone where it laid on the table. The call had barely lasted two minutes, the stained, varnished wood next to it gouged where Nick's claws had sunk into the surface. His hackles were raised, a low growl rumbling out from his chest. Tony swallowed, unnerved by the vibes spilling off the smaller male.

"Nick, I really think you should tell Bogo about this," he finally said. "Or at least-"

He cut off at the ice in the fox's glare, silently chiding himself for being scared of someone scarcely a quarter his size, no matter what he'd seen them do in the past.

"I already _have_ talked to the Chief," Nick intoned darkly. "You heard it yourself, they hacked into his desk phone somehow and told us _both_ that if I don't stay on this case, even more mammals will end up dead."

Tony couldn't even figure out a way to respond to that, instead just watching silently as Nick gathered some of the files spread across the table, tucking them under his arm as he jumped deftly to the floor.

"I'm gonna go make up a list of suspects, I have a pretty good idea of the pool we should be looking at," he swiped his phone off the table, jamming it in his pocket. "I'll drop this by the lab first, see if they can find some kind of bug, or at least trace the number."

"Right," Tony drew the word out like a line of molten glass. "Al's already looking into Sasha's boyfriend and her whereabouts the last few days, and I have a feeling Beckham's sister won't take too long, so what should I do after that?"

Nick's half-puffed tail twitched in agitation.

"Sasha didn't have any family, that's part of why we ended up together," he explained. "If it were anyone else, I'd say start with the foster care system, but I doubt anyone would've kept the file on a fox, especially from fifteen or twenty years ago."

Tony put a paw on his hip.

"So, are you saying I should do it, or just not waste my time on it?"

Nick shrugged.

"I'm saying look more into her background, there might be something Tails won't be able to find just by talking to mammals who knew her," he flipped through one of the files, though it was clear he wasn't actually reading it. "I'll try and tell you what I remember after I'm done with this, I still haven't really wrapped my head around it."

He stared down at his paw, his claws twitching before his fingers snapped closed.

"It's barely even been a week," he muttered angrily. "And I'm already sick of having this psycho on the streets."

He threw his paw down, abruptly turning and strolling out the door, his casual gait betrayed by the taut nature of his body, the fact his fist was still clenched brutally tight at his side. Tony gulped, praying they solved this case before somebody lost it.

* * *

 _Well, looks like Nick was right,_ again _._

There were a few dozen Sasha Drapers in the city, but only one that was any type of fox. The most he'd been able to get was that she'd been abandoned at the hospital she'd been born in, just a few hours after her parents had signed her birth certificate. She'd stayed in the nursery the first few weeks of her life, but when it was obvious they wouldn't be coming back for her, she'd been transferred to some childcare agency he'd never even heard of, likely because it apparently hadn't been talked about outside the vulpes community.

 _Just like bunnies and their 'no talking about marriage' rule,_ he shivered. _That's still just plain creepy._

"Hey, Tony, you got anything yet?" Allan walked into their shared cubicle, setting his things on his desk. Tony shook his head.

"Hey, Al, and absolutely freaking nothing," he punched his keyboard in frustration, deleting the gibberish it put in the search bar. Al sighed.

"I didn't get much, either, Sasha wasn't exactly the best girlfriend," he grabbed his notebook and flipped through it. "Robbie couldn't get much out after I told him what happened to her, but she was apparently always going off without telling him, and sometimes wouldn't come back for days."

He glanced through a few pages.

"They'd been on and off since high school, and he was in love with her even before then. She'd told him about one of her other boyfriends at one point," he went on. "But he hadn't figured out it was Nick until they saw his graduation on the news."

Judy's had been televised as well, and while it had made a big splash, a bunny cop had still been less shocking than a fox one, considering all the hate and distrust leveled at them. But neither of them had ever let those biases stop them, and even now were helping smash the stereotypes forced on their species and others.

"Once he realized who she'd been talking about, he said she'd always kind of held a torch for Nick, which was most of why they kept breaking up after high school," he rubbed the back of his neck. "He wasn't exactly up for offering the rest of those reasons, though, no matter how many times I tried to ask. I eventually just gave him my card and left, but their neighbors weren't able to provide much more than that, except that she apparently loved taking walks late at night, especially when it was pouring out."

Tony looked at him.

"But I thought foxes hated getting wet unless they had to?"

"They usually do," Al shrugged. "But even Nick said she'd always been kind of weird like that."

Tony hummed thoughtfully, looking at the whiteboard covered in photos, visible through the conference room window across the hall. Something was nagging at him, the feeling they were missing something obvious, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.

"Nick went to make up a list of suspects, or at least the other mammals he dated in the past," his chair squeaked as he leaned back, pushing lightly off with his foot to start him spinning in a slow circle. "Though to be honest I'm not sure it'll help much."

Al cocked his head, one ear perked.

"What do you mean?"

He shrugged.

"I can't explain it, just something in my gut."

Al looked at him a moment longer, then snickered.

"You're starting to sound like Nick, buddy."

Ever since day one, Nick had been known for his 'gut feelings' about certain things, accurate to the point Bogo would actually consult with him on high-profile cases, and once in a while he'd been personally requested by precinct captains. He'd even had the opportunity to work with the ZBI and some other agencies over the years. Tony laughed.

"Wish they offered classes in that kind of thing," he set himself spinning again. "Can you imagine how much easier our jobs would be?"

"Trust me, you'd just be wasting your time in a class," Nick spoke up behind them, barely at head height with the tiger's desk. "I learned it by living on and off the streets for twenty years, it's not something you can just teach."

Tony rolled his eyes, flicking a paperclip the fox deftly caught.

"So, other than how awesome I am, what've you guys been talking about?"

"Do you really have to ask?" Al crossed his arms. "Tony was just telling me about some kind of feeling he's getting."

"Really," Nick pulled Tony's footstool from under his desk, left there since the tiger had had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his knee. He set it against the cubicle wall and made himself comfortable. "About the case?"

"I just feel like we're missing something obvious," Tony repeated. "But I can't put my finger on it."

Nick rubbed his chin, his tail twitching a bit next to him.

"I've started getting the same idea, I can't think of anyone I used to date that would do something like this," he pulled a list from his shirt pocket and passed it to Tony. "These are the last six, we'll either have to get them in protective custody or convince them to get out of the city for a while."

Al leaned closer to scan the list over the tiger's shoulder, then turned back to his computer and typed in the first name.

"Al and I can take care of that," he started. "We can split it between us, it'll be faster than doing it all yourself."

Nick opened his mouth to answer, the three of them jumping when a loud crash sounded on the other side of the room.

"Oh, for crying out loud," Francine shouted in frustration. "Whose bright idea was it to put a plant there?!"

They looked at each other, then started laughing, glad to finally have a way to relieve their mounting tension.

"I'll get a broom," Tony was still chuckling as he got to his feet. "Why don't you guys go see what the damage is?"

"You got it," Al threw up a joking salute. "Come on, Nick, let's see if there's anything left to salvage."

"Yeah," Nick's mood had fallen back down quickly, though it didn't seem quite as bad as it had been a few hours ago. "I think I'm just gonna head home after this, I don't know how much more I can take today."

Tony and Allan glanced at each other, worry etched on their faces as they watched the fox head toward the latest disaster area. It had been years since either of them had seen him like that, and they just hoped it wouldn't be long before he was back to his usual joking self.

* * *

Judy stared at the mirror, her ears limp against her back. After a few, glorious days of happiness, that voice had started up again, only this time with a whole new line of twisted reasoning.

 _You know he just feels sorry for you now, right,_ it asked. _I mean, just_ look _at you. How could_ anyone _possibly really love you now?_

She hated to admit it, but she couldn't really disagree this time. Her eyes had lost their excited sparkle, circled by dark bags no matter what she did to try and get rid of them. Her claws were even duller than normal, trimmed and filed unevenly, and her fur was constantly messy now. She pulled back, twisting this way and that as she examined the rest of the damage. She was soft in places she never had been before, and she was sure her hips were even bigger than they'd already been. Most of her clothes hadn't fit in nearly a year, and she was sure they never would again.

 _And just think, this is only the beginning,_ that voice piped up. _Think how much_ worse _the damage will be when he decides_ one _kit's not enough for him, because you know he will. He's just like every other male on this planet, he wants nothing more than to see you barefoot and pregnant in his kitchen, while he goes off and does whatever the hell he wants!_

 _No!_ She shook her head, stepping further away from the mirror, a full-body one she'd found buried at the back of their storage room. Nick had sanded it down and repainted it, and now she was wishing she'd just smashed it instead of telling him. _N-Nick's doing the best he can, just like I am! It's not his fault he's so busy!_

 _Isn't it?_ She could envision the voice as a bunny-shaped mass of shadow, staring at her over her shoulder with empty, narrowed eyes. _Think about it, he says he'll always be there for you, but just when you need him the most, he's nowhere to be found!_

She whimpered, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. She should've known that would come up at some point.

 _T-That's because I always push him away,_ guilt crashed over her, and she stared at the floor. _With my parents, with Darwin, I don't want him to have to worry about me when he already has so much on his plate!_

 _How do you know he's even really_ at _work, anyway,_ the shadow in her head quirked a brow, the voice flowing from a mouth that didn't exist. _You know what foxes are like, he could be out there hustling mammals right now and you wouldn't even know, all because_ you _were enough of a dumb bunny to trust him in the first place._

She whimpered again, barely registering the pain as her teeth dug deeper, the hardwood floor of their bedroom cold as she dropped to her knees, her cheery yellow sundress pooling around her. She'd thought it would help her feel better, as it toned down her 'problem areas', and the butterfly pattern had been one of her favorites since she'd first seen it in the store, just a few days after Nick had proposed to her.

 _They haven't talked about those 'murders' even once on the news,_ it went on. _He could just be making it all up, just so_ you _don't see his true colors!_

She wanted to scream, throwing herself on the bed and stuffing as much of a pillow as she could fit in her mouth to muffle it. It still echoed in her ears, past the pulse already pounding there. Why the hell was this happening, she just wanted to feel normal again!

 _Oh, you_ are _normal,_ the voice mockingly assured her. _And that's part of what makes you so pathetic. You weren't meant to be a_ normal _bunny, you were born to serve the city you live in,_ not _to shack up with a guy like every other doe on the planet!_

 _I._ LOVE. _HIM!_ She screeched it in her head, burying her face in the pillow, not caring if she suffocated, she just wanted the voice to stop!

"W-Why won't you leave me alone?" tears spilled down her cheeks, the question so low she wasn't even sure she'd actually said it. The voice sighed, sounding just like her mother when she dealt with her youngest siblings' endless questions.

 _Because you don't need any of this,_ it said. _You never did before, and you never_ wanted _any of it. You were going to dedicate every second of your life to protecting this city._

The shadow slowly shook its head.

 _You were supposed to be better than this, but all it took was a smug, fake smile and some smooth, meaningless words to make you forget your purpose, and just look where it's gotten you,_ it sounded sad now, disappointed. _You're barely_ half _of what you used to be, and you know as well as I do that there's no getting back to that._

"But I don't _want_ to go back to that," she murmured again. It had taken too long to realize, but she'd been like so many others with a lifelong dream, she'd let it rule her to the point that she'd purposefully blinded herself to everything else, just so she'd never see how much she was really missing. As much of her future as she'd mapped out, she hadn't been able to plan meeting Nick Wilde, much less falling in love with him. But once she'd realized it, she'd given her heart to him willingly, and she still couldn't describe the joy she'd felt when he'd given his right back. "Things have changed for me, I have more than I ever thought possible, and I can't even be happy about it!"

 _Because you don't need it,_ the words looped through her head. _And you never did, when are you going to realize that?_

 _Never,_ she thought fiercely, hearing the front lock click open across the loft. She hadn't noticed until then just how silent it had been, at least in the real world. _I love Nick, our son, and the life we have now, and nothing you say will_ ever _make me think or feel any differently._

 _YOU DON'T NEED HIM!_ It suddenly boomed at her, and she swore she felt the room shake. The words kept repeating, growing even louder each time; she clutched her ears to try and block it out, knowing it was pointless. There was no running away from what was in her own head. She wasn't aware anyone had approached until she felt a warm weight on her back, the slight sag in the bed as they sat down beside her.

"Judy…"

She could barely even hear him, her whole body aching as she slowly shoved the pillow away, turning over to face him.

 _Get away from him,_ the voice yelled as she reached for him. _You don't need him! You don't need him!_

She grasped his sleeve in both paws, his face growing even more concerned when he saw the tearful misery she knew was on hers.

"I need you…"


	20. When the Past Calls

Nick didn't waste any time, taking her in his arms and leaning back against the headboard. He stroked her ears as she burrowed into his chest, his own going flat against his head as he listened to her muffled, broken sobs.

 _I should've been here for her more,_ he chided himself silently. _How could I have let it get this bad?_

"Judy…" he held her more tightly. How could he have let some case, no matter how personal, take priority over his own wife? What kind of mammal was he? "I'm sorry, sweetheart, I've been such a dumb fox…"

She sniffled, her paws twitching as she let go of his shirt, pulling back just enough for her gaze to meet his.

"I-It's not your fault, Nick," she swiped at her eyes with her sleeve. "I-I'm the one who let this get so out of control, and all because I didn't want to bother you with it."

He let out a low, humorless chuckle, sliding further down the bed until his back hit the pillows.

"You could never bother me, Fluff," he swiped a claw beneath her eye, wiping another tear. "And I'm pretty sure I already know what it is."

She went stiff, her nose starting to twitch faster.

"Granted, it's just a guess," he went on, in that same soft tone. "But the way you've been acting, I think it's postpartum depression."

She just kept staring at him, her eyes slightly glazed.

"I asked your mom about it," he finally admitted. "She said several of your sisters have gone through it, and that she has a few times, too."

He tensed when her eyes narrowed, but the blow never came. Instead, a dejected sigh slipped from her lips.

"I can't blame you for that, it's not like you would've gotten anything from me," she copied his poor attempt at a laugh. "I'm sorry for being such a stubborn bunny, Slick."

He smiled, brushing her cheek again.

"And I'm sorry for being so work-obsessed, I'll do my best to be here for you from now on, no matter what's happening with this case."

She shook her head.

"I won't ask that of you, Nick," she said. "From the sound of it, they've needed everyone on deck for this."

He put his paws on her hips to steady her as she straddled his stomach, stretching his fingers to catch the edges of her flicking tail. They just watched each other in silence for a while, then a soft sigh from her finally broke it.

"I'm seeing the precinct psychiatrist on Thursday, since I'll be there, anyway," she laid down on top of him, tucking her head beneath his chin, wrapping her arms as far around his chest as they could go. He tilted his muzzle slightly, lightly scent-marking the spot between her ears. She stretched up to rub her chin along his shoulder, ending the move with a slow kiss to his cheek.

"I promise I won't keep you in the dark about this anymore," she spoke softly, her breath brushing past his ear. She pushed herself back up, her eyes glued to his chest. "At first, I-I thought I was just feeling antsy, I haven't been out of work this long since after the press conference…"

She didn't have to tell him which one she meant. She swallowed a bit before continuing.

"B-But it just kept getting worse, a-and lately, there's been a…a voice, in my head," her voice got lower, to the point he could barely hear it. "I-It keeps saying how I made a huge mistake, that my job was all I needed to be happy, t-that I never should've let myself fall in love with you in the first place."

She sniffled, but for once didn't need his gentle prompting to keep the revelation going.

"I-I'd already missed so much by dedicating my childhood to my dream, but I didn't even realize it until I met you, when you started showing me just how much more to my life there could be," she shook her head, her half-perked ears falling limp again. "I-It keeps saying I'm pathetic because I married you, that I'm trapped because we decided to have kits."

She choked on her next breath, and while there was a lot Nick wanted to say, he felt that she wasn't done just yet.

"I-It's also been telling me that you don't really care about me, that you just want me to have your kits, and that you've done nothing but lie to me," she trembled when he cupped her cheek, holding his paw there with both of hers. "But I know none of that's true, you've proven it to me every single day, even before I had any idea how either of us felt."

She finally lifted her eyes to his, and he hated the mix of emotions that shone there, regret, fear, sadness that bordered on anguish.

"I-I tried to fight it myself," she finished. "For weeks, and all it's gotten is worse. I can't do it alone anymore…"

He sat up slightly, tapping his nose against hers.

"I wish you'd told me about this when it started," he said quietly. "But I know how you are, and I'm glad you're telling me now."

He took her other cheek, bringing her face down so he could kiss her forehead.

"And I promise, from now on, I'll be here for you whenever you need me, no matter what else is going on."

The first smile of the night reached her lips, and she leaned further into his touch.

"Thank you."

* * *

 _"What are you going to do?" Judy demanded. "Kill me?"_

 _Standing high above them at the edge of the pit, the black case in hoof, Bellweather laughed._

 _"No, of course not," the tiny sheep's cocky smile faded, and she lifted the gun that had already broken so many lives. "He is."_

 _There was a pop of air as she pulled the trigger, Nick falling over as the shot made contact, dark blue spattering across the fur just above his collar. Judy crawled to him as he writhed, her small paws on his back. He could clearly hear the demented mayor above them, her voice full of false fear and concern._

 _"Yes, police! There's a savage fox in the Natural History Museum. Officer Hopps is down, please hurry!"_

 _"No, Nick," Judy's voice was close to his ear. "Don't do this. Fight it!"_

 _"Oh, but he can't help it, can he?" that blasted sheep spoke up. "Since preds are just biologically predisposed to be savages."_

 _Nick growled darkly, his back arching, lips pulled back in a snarl as he focused on the wounded bunny. Judy whimpered, backing against rocks until she found an opening, turning to hop away on her wounded leg, Nick getting tangled with the stuffed deer she tossed at him. She threw herself through some tall, fake grass, panting heavily as Bellweather walked along the rim, laughing above her._

 _"Gosh, think of the headline!" she sounded almost playful. "'Hero Cop Killed by Savage Fox!'"_

 _Judy watched as he ripped the deer the shreds, his nostrils flaring as he caught her scent again—her sweat, her blood—stalking ever closer to the bunny's hiding place._

 _"So, that's it?" she called up to the sheep. "Prey fears predator and_ you _stay in power?"_

 _Bellweather smirked at her._

 _"Yeah, pretty much."_

 _"It won't work!"_

 _"Fear_ always _works," she bared her teeth, then held up the gun. "And I'll dart every predator in Zootopia to keep it that way."_

 _Judy gasped as Nick's snarls drew nearer, her wide eyes snapping down just in time to see him come slowly through the grass._

 _"Oh, Nick…" she backed away, just cornering herself further. "No…"_

 _Bellweather laughed again, the smile quickly fading into an angry glower._

 _"Bye-bye, bunny."_

 _Nick finally leapt at her, the bunny's scream sharp and piercing in his pinned back ears as his jaws snapped closed around her small neck._

 _But it was nothing compared to the taste of the blood that filled his mouth._

"No!"

He shot upright, every strand of fur on end as his pulse pounded away in his ears, perked high in panic. Another choked gasp cut from his throat as he remembered her, the sight of rumpled, thrown back sheets and mushed up pillow not registering.

All he could see was the empty space beside him.

 _Judy…_ he looked around wildly, his wide eyes spilling tears, his heart shaking in his chest when he heard a door creak softly closed across the hall. The greatest kind of relief filling him when he saw her slip into their room.

"Diaper emergency," she whispered, still looking toward the nursery. "I just got him back down."

She shut the door most of the way, her ears standing at attention when she saw his state.

"Nick?" she padded quickly over, climbing on the bed. "Are you al-eek!"

He didn't waste any time, her squeak of surprise muted against his lips as he grabbed her paw and yanked her close, kissing her fiercely.

"Oh, thank god," he whimpered when he ended it. "I…I-I thought…"

He whined, then kissed her again, his desperation all but palpable.

"Nick…" she wrapped her arms around his head, holding him to her chest. He clung to her waist, doing everything he could to keep his claws from touching her. She just sat there, stroking him until his terrified sobs calmed down, keeping his chin cupped in her paws when she pulled him back to look at her. "What did you see?"

He dragged in a few deep breaths, doing his best to swallow the rock in his throat.

"W-We were in the pit at the museum," he started quietly, amazed his voice didn't shake. "She hit me with the blueberry, just like we planned but…I…"

His grip tightened on her, and he knew his eyes were bright with fear.

"I-I bit down too hard, and I…I…" he couldn't even say it, it terrified him far too much. "I couldn't be trusted…"

She smoothed down a patch of fur on his muzzle, smiling at him tenderly.

"That would never happen," she said firmly, then tilted his head to kiss his nose. "You have amazing control, no matter what you're doing."

She brought him to her chest again, and he slumped down on the bed, nuzzling the crook of her arm.

"And I trust you with my life," she went on, rubbing between his ears. He let out a soft, rumbling purr. "No matter what happens, nothing will ever change that."

He couldn't keep the fear from his eyes as he looked at her again, mixing with hurt when she nudged him away, gently as it was. He sat up on his knees, his ears flicking up some when she took his left paw, their rings pressing together when she held hers against it. She went through the motions of the Joining of the Bands as she intoned their vows, the same ones foxes had been using for centuries.

"I, Judith Hopps, doth swear unto thee, Nicolas Wilde, that I shalt honor, respect and cherish thee until the end of mine days, and as far beyond as thou wilt allow me."

He smiled softly, repeating the actions, remembering how the rich violet of his had looked against the earthy brown of hers.

"And I, Nicolas Wilde, doth swear unto thee, Judith Hopps, that I shalt honor, respect and cherish thee until the end of mine days, and as far beyond as thou wilt allow me."

After, the other end of the soft white rope tied around his wrist had been tied around hers, just as they would have been during a fox ceremony. It had amazed him how similar some of their customs were, but he took it as just another sign that they were meant to be.

"I love you, Nick," she whispered. That tradition was older than some of the ones they'd used, where they each said how the other had changed their life. "I never realized how alone I was until I met you, and you've always made me feel safe, protected and wanted, and I hope to always make you feel the same."

His smile widened, his tail starting to shift on the bed.

"I love you, Judy," he answered. "You made me believe again, in myself and our city, you trusted me, showed me just how much I was letting fear hold me back, and I'll never be able to thank you enough for that."

Keeping their paws together, he swept his other arm beneath her, lifting her easily, tilting his head back to catch her lips with his. Her sweet sigh graced his ears just like it had then, her eyes nearly glowing when he gently ended it. She smiled down at him, draping her arms around his neck as he lowered her back to his lap.

"We'll get through whatever comes our way," she murmured into his fur. "We'll always be there for each other, and I hope to god that never changes."

He hugged her tightly, bringing her with him as he laid down, wrapping his tail around her as she curled further into his chest.

"No matter what happens," he whispered against the back of her head. "No matter what happens…"


	21. The Longest Morning

Judy woke the next morning to low singing and tasty smells. She slipped out of bed and checked Terry's room, seeing his crib was empty. Knowing he was safe with Nick, she took her time with her morning routine, already feeling lighter than she had the night before.

 _Looks like Mom was right,_ she headed down the hall, half-heartedly straightening the old Pawaiian shirt she'd worn to bed. It had been her favorite of Nick's when he'd still been able to wear it, a gradient that went from violet at the collar to red violet at the hem, reminding her of a tropical sunset. There was also a pattern of flowers and leaves, so faded it nearly blended in, like the flashes of color she saw through the branches and vines whenever she rode through the Rainforest District. _A talk really can be all it takes to start solving something._

Nick was turning off the stove when she got to the kitchen, her ears heating when she realized what was playing.

 _'_ _I'm so glad I found you'_

 _'_ _I'm not gonna lose you'_

 _'_ _Whatever it takes, I will stay here with you'_

That had been their song since their second date, when he'd picked her up and kissed her deeply, right in the middle of the dance floor. It was one of her favorite memories to relive when she couldn't sleep at night, or whenever she needed an emotional pick-me-up.

"Let them say we're crazy, what do they know?" it had always been her favorite part. "Put your arms around me, baby, don't ever let go!"

His ears perked back, and he smiled at her over his shoulder.

"And we can build this dream together, standing strong forever," he wrapped his tail around her when she came up next to him. "Nothing's gonna stop us now!"

He leaned down to kiss her, keeping his tail in place as he went back to the food.

"Looks like you're in a better mood this morning," he said quietly. A glance to the side told her Terry was asleep in his baby swing, and she grinned up at her fox.

"Yeah, talking about it last night helped a lot," she tugged one of her ears. "I think part of the reason it got so bad was because I was stressed about keeping it from you."

"But you told my mom about it."

She froze at his tone, flat and cold. He finished with their plates, pulling away from her to set them on the table. She followed him, hopping into her seat, set with an extra cushion like always.

"I texted her about it before I went to bed last night," he explained. "She called me this morning and said you'd already talked to her, after I left when I joined you two for lunch at the park."

She winced, hating the hurt in his eyes, even if the rest of his face was blank.

"I know, and I'm sorry," she shook her head. "I just…wasn't quite sure how to tell you, and I thought I'd be able to deal with it on my own."

His expression didn't change, even as he started eating. He'd made apple pancakes with some turkey bacon and eggs for himself, and a bowl of fresh berries and cherry blossoms for her.

 _They just started blooming, that's right,_ she felt even more guilty now, though she was sure the meal was supposed to have the opposite effect. She picked up one of the delicate, barely pink flowers and nibbled on it; she couldn't even finish the petal before having to set it back down.

"Nick, I am so sorry for keeping you in the dark," she swallowed her tears, she didn't deserve to cry over this. "I'm such a dumb bunny, I can't seem to do anything without hurting you!"

He sighed, getting up when her outburst woke Terry, gently taking him from the oversized swing.

"He hasn't eaten yet," he turned back to her, letting the kit play with his thumb. She nodded, unbuttoning her shirt to the middle, unable to hold back a sniffle as she took their son.

"I wasn't lying when I said I trusted you last night," she started as Terry fed. "I-I just…I spent so long with almost no support from anyone, and eventually I just stopped telling mammals things, it was the only thing I could think of to keep from getting hurt again."

She sniffed, wiping her eye with her free paw.

"I know that's a terrible reason," she went on. "Especially with how long you've been there for me, even before we got together, but a life-long habit isn't easy to break."

She waited anxiously for his answer, her heart skipping at the small grin that touched his lips.

"I can't say I don't understand that, hell, probably even better than you do," he let out a wry chuckle, then his smile faded. "But then I also can't say it doesn't hurt."

He sat down, taking a small bite of bacon and chewing thoughtfully. She nodded.

"I know, and again, I'm sorry," she looked down, brushing their son's forehead. "I hate the fact I can't promise I'll never do it again, but I can at least promise to try harder."

He smiled again, reaching over to take her paw.

"That's all I'm asking for, Judy," he said. "And I'll do whatever I can to return the favor."

He squeezed her paw before turning back to his food, quickly polishing off what was left. She grabbed the flower from her bowl and popped it in her mouth, glancing at the clock on the wall as she reached for another one.

"Oh, wow, I didn't notice how late it was," she watched as he grabbed his uniform shirt from where it hung on the back of his chair, pulling it on over his white T-shirt. She wasn't sure why he'd started wearing that, but damn if he didn't look good in it. He leaned over, kissing the top of her head as he buttoned it, tucking it into his pants as he went for the door. "Go kick some tail today, Slick!"

He chuckled, winking at her before putting on his aviators.

"Count on it, sweetheart!"

* * *

He reached the bullpen just before roll call started, ignoring the pointed glares Sweetwater and Dunlap always sent his way. They always sat where he couldn't miss them as he came in, though always seemed to avoid the first row, likely because it was the closest to the Chief.

"I don't think you've ever cut it this close before," Tony said as he hopped up in his seat. It was an easy jump, even if his knees were starting protest a bit when he landed. Getting old freaking sucked.

"I know," Nick straightened his badge and shined it with his sleeve. "It was…kind of a long night."

Tony looked at him curiously.

"What do you mean?"

"Carrots finally told me what she's been dealing with, and it was one of the few times I've wished my guess was wrong," he rubbed his neck. "And then I had a…less than pleasant dream afterward."

He could tell the tiger wanted to ask more, but Bogo chose that moment to enter, the room erupting into its usual round of chaos.

"Alright, alright," he dropped a pile of folders on the podium. "Shut it!"

The room quieted quickly, Nick tensing when the buffalo seemed to focus a second longer than usual on him as he scanned the room.

"Now, we only have two items on the docket. First, Grizzoli, Pennington, McHorn, you're needed for security at a fund-raiser being held at the Grand Stadium in Downtown, it's an all day event," he cleared his throat, zeroing in on Nick again. "Second, Wilde, you and your team are to head to the Palm Hotel in Sahara Square, there's been a murder in one of the suites."

Nick's stomach dropped through his seat. He barely heard the Chief dole out the rest of the assignments, the usual patrols and parking duty. He had no idea everyone else had left until Tony nudged him, nearly knocking him off the chair.

"You think this is related to our other killer?"

Nick shrugged, sliding down to the floor.

"No way to know until we get there," he sighed heavily. "I'm really hoping it's not, though."

"Me, too," Allan came up next to them. "We didn't even get a chance to get through your whole list, and the ones we did talk to weren't exactly eager to talk to us."

"That doesn't surprise me," Nick shook his head, following the others out. "None of us were exactly on the right side of the law at the time."

There was silence for a while, as they tried to digest the fact they were dealing with another body, possibly the third by the same mammal. Nick climbed in the back of Tony's SUV, running his claws over the black chainlink that split the seat in half.

"So…what do you think we'll find?" Allan looked around the side of his seat. Tony swallowed, pulling off at the next exit for Sahara Square.

"To be honest, I'm trying not to think about it," he stopped at a red light. "That occult thing was bad enough, and we didn't really have time to get our heads around it before all this started up."

"I know," Nick sighed, crossing his arms. The Palm Hotel was the center point of the district, and at over a thousand feet in height, was one of the tallest buildings in the city. There was a small whir and jolt as the car automatically adjusted to the sand-strewn roads, and Tony turned the AC on full-blast. "It almost feels like they did it on purpose."

"What, you mean, like an inside job?" Allan turned to him again. Nick shrugged.

"I honestly don't know, but whoever's behind this has made it pretty clear they've been watching me, who knows for how long…"

Tony groaned.

"And here I thought things couldn't get any weirder," he pulled up in front of the hotel. "What are you gonna do?"

Nick shrugged again.

"Right now, I just want to focus on this," he unbuckled and got out, sucking a breath through his teeth when his feet hit the burning sidewalk around the hotel. They hurried to the revolving door, tucked in the shade of a tall awning. "But I'm gonna bring up arranging some kind of guard for Carrots and pipsqueak with Bogo when we get back."

Allan snickered.

"I still can't believe she lets you call Terry that."

"It's growing on her," Nick smirked back at him, but it didn't last long. His face falling even further when he saw the owner waiting to speak with them, an older camel he'd hustled more than once in the past.

"Well," the graying male scoffed, pulling what looked like a candy cigarette from his rough lips. "I'll admit I was quite skeptical, but it looks like you really have turned over a new leaf, Wilde."

"Yep," Nick cleared his throat, his tail twitching nervously behind him. "Going on six years now."

"Is that right," the camel quickly lost interest in him, focusing on Tony and offering him a thick hoof. "Phillip Grimwald, and I hope that if we ever do meet again, it's for something far less serious."

"You and me both, Mr. Grimwald," Tony shook the hoof politely. "I'm Lieutenant Anderson, this is Lieutenant Wolfard, and you already know Sergeant Wilde."

Grimwald's brown eyes widened, and he turned to Nick again.

"Sergeant already? Well then," he motioned for them to follow, bringing them to a large, comfortably furnished room behind the front desk. A white and tan oryx with long curved, slender horns looked up from his spot on an oversized couch. Going by the distressed, even terrified look on his face, he was the one who'd found their victim.

"This is Abram Dammah," Grimwald supplied, his superior tone all but gone behind one of concern. "Part of our cleaning staff. He was in the middle of the suites when he noticed a door was open, and went in to investigate."

"H-He was just lying there," Abram started, his voice cracking. "I-I couldn't look for more than a second!"

"He ran out screaming," the camel continued. "I took a look for myself before calling the police, however…"

He paused, biting off almost half of his fake smoke. He chewed it quickly before swallowing, then started spinning the rest between his thick fingers.

"I was redirected to Precinct One, and Chief Bogo informed me he'd be sending Wilde and his team," he glanced at each cop in turn. "You will be able to clear this up quickly, won't you? I do not want that family to suffer for longer than they have to."

Tony had to admit he was surprised by that. Usually, all these rich owner types cared about was the murder, or whatever crime being bad for business.

"We'll go as fast as we can, Mr. Grimwald," he said. "But these things take time, and there's no way to know just how long."

Grimwald nodded.

"I understand, Lieutenant," he ushered them back out. "Now, let me show you to the room, I only hope none of you have eaten yet this morning."

Nick gulped. That told him everything he had to know.

 _No, not again…_

* * *

 _Nothin's Gonna Stop Us- Starship, 1987_


	22. Pretty Little Psycho

Suite 427 was one of the last rooms on the fourth floor, Nick kept himself curled in the corner of the elevator the whole way, trying so hard not to think of what they were about to see.

 _Carrots finally admitted what's been bugging her the last few weeks,_ he told himself. _She's gonna start getting help tomorrow, and I'm going to be there for her however I can._

It wasn't long before Grimwald was leading them to the room, standing aside after unlocking it. Nick went in first, his tail puffing when he saw the envelope half-tucked under the dresser backed against the wall, likely missed when Abram had peeked in earlier that morning. He knelt down and pulled it out, his throat going dry when the music started.

 _'_ _And you're lookin' crazy and you're lookin' wrong'_

 _'_ _We look like we belong'_

 _'_ _And once I've got you it's a fact, baby there's no turning back'_

A length of heavy string was glued to the envelope, a small lead weight tied to the other end. He reached further underneath, dragging out a CD player plugged into a speaker, the volume on both turned up to the max.

"They're pretty creative when it comes to rigging up these things," Tony came up behind him, his jaw dropping when he turned to the bed. "And that's not all…"

The body was naked and bound just like the last two, though this time there wasn't anything so obvious as a sheet looped around his neck or slashes to his wrists. The only wounds were two narrow lines where his ears should've been, the sandy fur around them stained with blood. Most of his coat was faintly striped, with two dark bars on each arm and his long, black-tipped tail. The fur from the lower half of his face to his groin was a pale off-white.

"Looks like this might his wallet," Allan reached into the narrow gap behind the nightstand, only to yelp in pain and yank his paw back out. "Crap, what was that?"

He leaned over again, catching the gleam of metal just above the light brown reptile leather.

"What the hell? They put a razor blade or something down there!"

"Are you serious?" Tony pulled out the small piece of furniture, reaching down to grab the wallet himself. Sure enough, a large blade had been broken in two, one half glued to the wall, the other to the back of the nightstand. "Why would they do that, and come to think of it, why hide the wallet all of a sudden?"

He turned to Wolfard, breathing through his teeth when he saw the blood starting to drip past the paw that clutched the cut one, curled in a tight fist against his chest.

"Come on, Tails," he got to his feet, tossing the wallet to Nick. "Let's get you patched up so you don't keep contaminating the crime scene."

Al rolled his eyes, but followed him out, anyway, stopping briefly at the door.

"You gonna be okay in here, Slick?"

Nick nodded.

"Yeah, this isn't nearly as bad as the last one."

It was true. Unlike Sasha, he and Westley had only lasted three months, and they'd spent almost half that time fighting, not that it still didn't hurt to see the sand cat dead. He opened his old boyfriend's wallet, seeing his last name was still Rodgers, and that he'd either been completely broke, or robbed like Sasha and Thomas.

 _I wish I knew what the hell this mammal was really after,_ he picked up the envelope and brought out the note. _There's no way they're doing all this just because they want to be my…mistress._

He shivered in disgust at the very thought of it, focusing back on the card in his paw.

 _'_ _He always sucked at listening to you, sweetie, so I made it so he can't hear anything!'_

He shivered again. As if Tybalt, Darwin and Joshua hadn't all been psycho enough.

 _I can't believe we still don't have_ any _leads on this nut job,_ he thought. _How the hell do they keep getting away from us?!_

 _'_ _There's something about you driving me mad'_

 _'_ _There's something about you I've got to have'_

 _'_ _There's something about you, there's something about you'_

 _Ugh, no point in just standing here,_ he took the radio from his shoulder and asked for forensics, his mood lifting slightly when he heard Benjamin's voice come over the line.

"Hey, Spots!" he managed to smile. "When did you two get back?"

 _"_ _Oh, just yesterday!"_ the cheerful cheetah replied. _"We'll tell you all about it when you get back, and I'm sending the forensics team now!"_

"Awesome," he keyed off for a second, glancing back toward the bed, and his mood dropped like a lead balloon. "They've really got their work cut out for them with this one."

* * *

Allan was going to be stuck with some stitches and bandages the next few weeks, but thankfully nothing worse than that. He and Nick had spent their lunch break catching up with Ben at his desk, while Stephanie went out with the other ladies on the force. They'd spent their honeymoon further north, at a luxurious ski resort his little brother was part owner of. It was apparently a popular destination for cops who tied the knot. The cheetah had done an amazing job of keeping the weight off, and had even bulked up a bit, likely because of his new wife's encouragement.

"We should really organize a trip up there some time," he said now, munching happily on a slice of a chocolate-dipped apple Francine had dropped off for him. "They have so much to do there! Snowboarding, skiing, ice skating, even a heated indoor pool and hot tubs!"

Nick chuckled, taking another bite of his baked cricket wrap. He'd never been a fan of deep-fried foods.

"Awesome as that sounds, Spots," he spoke up after swallowing. "I can't see it happening for Carrots and me any time soon."

"Aw," Ben looked so crestfallen, ears flat and everything. "Why not?"

"We're still trying to save up for another car," Nick explained, wiping crumbs from his mouth. "That, and Terry's not even a month old."

Hearing that, Ben's mood switched on a dime.

"O-M-Goodness, why didn't you tell me, Nick?!" he pranced in place. "That would've made everything even more perfect!"

Nick looked at him.

"Weren't you the one who made that poster on the projector screen?"

"The what-now?" Ben shook his head. Allan snickered.

"That was me," he waved his patched-up paw. "I can't believe it took you so long to figure that out!"

He started laughing, cracking up even more when Nick threw a balled up napkin at him.

"I just never took you for the 'glitter and stickers' kind of guy, Tails," he said flatly, but couldn't hold back a smirk. Ben leaned over his desk, propping his chin on his paws.

"So," he drew out the word. "When do I get to meet this adorable little kit of yours?"

"Tomorrow," Nick smiled fondly, even if it didn't quite meet his eyes. "Carrots is gonna 'show him what Mommy and Daddy do'. Her words, not mine."

Ben pressed his paws to his mouth to muffle an ecstatic squeal.

"Oh, I can't wait to see who he looks like! Or how big he must be already! Hey, Nick, do you think I could…"

Nick stopped listening, his mind going back to what he'd seen that morning. In just about a week, three mammals were dead, and if the note at the scene was anything to go by, it was still just the beginning.

 _'I hope you're ready and waiting for the long haul, sweetie, I know I am!'_

He couldn't hold back a shudder as he thought about it, remembering the results he'd read over from the other two scenes. Both Thomas and Sasha had been high, though exactly on what remained inconclusive, and he had more than a feeling Westley would be the same way.

 _But I can't figure out if that tells us more about them or the killer,_ he rubbed a paw over his eyes, his stomach twisting when he looked down at his half-eaten wrap. He forced down another bite, anyway, chasing it with a long sip of Sprite. He'd need all the energy he could get if he expected to make it through this case. The doses wouldn't have been enough to kill them, and had probably just been done to make them more complacent and less likely to ask questions, or try to fight and escape. Then there was that small detail of all of them being in relationships.

Westley's husband, who'd taken his name, had called to report him missing while they'd been at the scene. Another sand cat, Enrique worked as a DJ in a dance club not far from their apartment, and was used to him already being gone when he got back in the morning. But when he'd been woken up by a call from one of Westley's colleagues a few hours later, saying he'd never shown up, he'd known something had to be wrong. Tony, who usually worked through lunch, anyway, had gone to speak with him, though none of them had high hopes. The two had only been married a few weeks and, eerily enough, had just gotten back from their honeymoon.

"So, what do you think, Nick?"

Nick jumped, looking up to see Allan and Ben watching him expectantly. He swallowed.

"Uh, think about what?"

"Us throwing a party for Judy when she comes back to work, of course," Ben repeated, his tail swishing idly. "It'll be the perfect way to get her hyped up for the job again!"

Nick chuckled again.

"Oh, trust me, Spots, she's been wanting to come back since I brought her and the kit home," he shook his head. "Her biggest complaint is about how much she's been missing around here."

Neither of them laughed, not that he'd expected them to. He polished off his wrap and crumpled the paper, making a shot off the wall to land square in the trash bin Ben had pulled out from behind his desk.

"Damn," Allan did chuckle now. "It's too bad you hate basketball, any team with you on it would be unbeatable!"

"It's not the sport I don't like, Tails," he stuck a paw in his pocket, taking another sip of Sprite. "I'm just not much of a team player; you, Tony and Carrots are pretty much the only exceptions."

"What about Finnick?" Allan questioned. Nick winced.

"I…haven't really seen him the last few weeks," he admitted. It had been so hectic he'd barely even thought about his old friend the past month. He brought out his phone and tapped out a few texts, asking Judy if she minded the smaller fox stopping by in the next few days, then asking Fin if he felt like it, if he'd be able to. He wanted to tell them how the tiny male had reacted when he'd first held Terry, sitting on Judy's bed the day before she'd been cleared to go home, but had had to promise them both that he wouldn't. It still amazed him just how well those two got along.

"I should head back to my desk," he tucked his phone away, swirling his cup. "I've still got a lot of ground to cover. I'll catch you guys later."

"Don't push yourself too hard, Nick," Ben cautioned him as he headed off. "You're even worse about that than Judy is!"

Nick just threw up a paw and kept walking.

* * *

Judy squirmed a bit in her seat, trying to scratch an itch by her tail without actually reaching back there. She'd texted Nate a few hours after Nick had left, asking if he'd be able to meet up for a late lunch. Not surprisingly, it hadn't taken long to get a yes. They'd decided on a small place that catered to prey, about half-way between the Factory Lofts and the half-finished building he'd been working in that morning. He'd been a few minutes late, likely due to the foot-traffic the area got during the day. Now they were halfway through their meal, a spring salad with crushed walnuts for her, and a wheatgrass sandwich on rye for him.

"So," he cleared his throat after finishing his next bite, brushing crumbs from the corner of his mouth with his thumb. "How long have you been on the force?"

She shrugged, not sure what to do with her paws since Isabel had been all too happy to watch Terry that afternoon. With Mary focused on her studies and Xavier growing up, she was starting to miss having young kits around.

"Oh, about five years now?" she guessed. "I haven't really been keeping track."

The idea had surprised her when it had first come up. Once Nick had joined the force she'd stopped counting the days so carefully, and there had just been so much more important stuff happening, especially lately. It seemed to knock him a bit off-track, too.

"Really? But I thought you said it'd been your dream since you were a kid."

She nodded, taking a sip of her apple juice. Most places in the city only had cheap, watered-down brands, and often didn't even bother to pour it in a glass, so she took the good stuff where she could get it.

"It was, and for the longest time I was determined to make it the _only_ thing I ever really focused on, but then I met Nick and," she shrugged again, her ears turning darker pink. "I realized how much I'd missed growing up, and how much more I'd be missing by staying married to my career."

She smiled at her rings, shifting her paw so they glinted in the light from the lamp strung over their table. She hadn't told him about her disastrous first marriage, and she didn't plan on it. She and Nick had dealt with it a long time ago, and neither of them saw any point in digging it up again. She looked up to see Nate peeking past the mesh screen that cut down on the glare of the sun shining through the window, his eyes narrowed and brows furrowed. It was a second or two before he turned back, blinking as he adjusted to the lower light again.

"Sorry, I thought I saw someone I knew," he picked up what was left of his sandwich and tore off half, chewing harder and more quickly than before. His claws left marks on the bread when he set it down, grabbing his cherry limeade and bypassing the straw as he gulped down the rest. "At least, that I _thought_ I knew…"

She didn't get a chance to ask, his phone vibrating where he'd left it on the table next to the wall. His current boss wasn't exactly the most even-keeled mammal, he'd explained when he'd gotten there, so there was a chance he'd have to leave early to fix something. It turned out to just be a coworker, asking if he'd pick up a strawberry-banana shake from somewhere on his way back.

"This place has really good ones," Judy offered. "I've gotten them before."

He smiled.

"I was actually wondering where I was gonna find one, thanks for the tip," he texted back that it was a done deal, then took out his wallet. "I should get going soon, anyway, we're ahead of schedule right now and I'd like it to stay that way."

She chuckled, she could relate to that.

"I was thinking about heading out myself," she shook her head, still grinning. "I'm still in that 'antsy when I leave my kit' phase."

He chuckled.

"Oh, trust me, you never really leave that one. My brother and his wife just had their second litter," he added at her confused face. "They say it's just like everything else, you learn to live with it."

She nodded, and they both finished their meals, stacking their few dishes in a pile and reaching for their receipts. They headed for the front, Nate stopping by the counter to order a mink-sized strawberry-banana shake and a rabbit-sized mango smoothie. She paid and stepped aside to wait, thinking it'd be rude to just leave.

"Sorry about that," he took a long sip as he came over, the other cup almost comically small in his paw. "So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?"

"I was going to start cleaning the loft while Terry took his nap this afternoon, it'll be one less thing Nick will have to worry about when he gets home."

He looked at her as he held the door, letting an elderly goat couple in before letting it fall shut.

"You guys live together?"

"Of course, for almost four years," she showed off her rings, surely she wouldn't have to state the obvious for him, right? "And they've been some of the best of my life, if not _the_ best."

He seemed a little crestfallen, but brightened quickly.

"Tell him I said he's one lucky guy then," he winked at her, turning the way opposite to where she was headed. She couldn't stop her blush, or the giggle that slipped past her lips.

"I like to think that I'm the lucky one, considering everything he's done for me," she started to head off, stopping when he called after her.

"You think we could meet up again in a few weeks?" he asked. "We could show each other our favorite spots, maybe make a day of it?"

She had to think a minute. He seemed to finally be getting the message, but there was still something that made her uneasy about him. But it would give her another opportunity to get out of the loft for a while, which was exactly what Nick wanted her to do.

"That sounds great," she finally managed. "Maybe I could even bring Nick along, give you two a chance to finally meet!"

"That sounds awesome!" he threw up a casual salute. "I'll catch you later!"

"See you!" she waved after him, then headed for the nearest bus stop. Maybe holding Terry again would get rid of that sense of unease falling over her.

 _I'll ask Isabel if she or Mary know anyone his age,_ she thought. _That'd be a great way to help him get used to the city._

She nodded to herself, then rushed to catch the bus.

* * *

 _Pretty Little Psycho- Porcelain Black, 2014_


	23. A New Kind of Music

Nick had spent most of the afternoon slumped over his desk, trying to come up with some kind of suspect. There weren't many mammals he'd spoken to about his past relationships, none of whom he could see doing anything even close to what was going on. His mother could be a real spitfire, but she was far too caring and sweet-natured, and she was still recovering from her hip fracture. Judy was a lot like her, but she didn't have the stomach for working with cooled bodies, she wouldn't be able to deal with a fresh one. She was also about as far from being a killer as a mammal could get, she couldn't even swat at mosquitos half the time without feeling guilty.

Fin still wasn't exactly on the straight-and-narrow, but he'd always had four rules he would never dream of breaking. First, don't go after kids or their mothers. Second, don't hurt or kill anyone. Third, don't touch any kind of drink or drug unless you knew where it came from. Lastly, never get involved with someone else's significant other, it just caused a whole lot of problems that nobody needed. This case had already broken three of those rules, and he just hoped to god there wouldn't end up being any kids involved.

 _But most mammals, even killers, seem to avoid hurting kits or cubs,_ he shook his head, turning away from his computer. He'd taken a 'break' every half hour or so, using the time to follow up with witnesses or check with the labs, but so far both were still proving to be dead ends. _All this and_ still _no headway…_

He perked up when his phone rang, his stress already starting to fade when he saw Judy's picture on the screen. He glanced around before accepting the Muzzletime call, knowing Bogo would have his tail if he caught him 'slacking off again'.

 _"_ _Hey there, Slick,"_ she waved to him, her voice low. He sighed lightly.

"You're so beautiful," he didn't stop the words from coming out, his content smile growing when he saw the blush that touched her ears.

 _"_ _You only charm me like that when you want something, sweetheart,"_ her voice rose a bit as she walked away from the hallway. He gasped, holding a paw over his heart.

"Are you insinuating that a silver-tongued fox like me can't just tell the truth without having ulterior motives?" he threw his head back, scoffing. "You wound me, Officer Fluff!"

She snorted, holding a paw to her mouth to muffle her giggles. Seeing her like that always lifted his spirits, no matter what was going on.

 _"_ _Okay, I deserved that,"_ she sat down on their couch, tugging one of her ears over her shoulder. _"It's just…you're the only one who's ever said that to me and actually meant it…_ without _attaching it to something else."_

She didn't need to elaborate. Her family, Darwin, even just random rabbit bucks on the street had said things like that to her, but always paired with, "You'd have such cute kits", "You could be so much more than a cop", "I wish my wife/girlfriend looked like you!" Those were some of the tamer things, and the few times he'd seen her truly uncomfortable. He sighed again, there went his rising mood.

 _"_ _Oh, Nick,"_ she looked guilty. _"There I go again, and when I called to try and cheer you up, too!"_

He shook his head.

"It's not that, sweetheart, well, not all of it," he conceded. "It's this case. So far, we're backed against a wall, with no idea what's coming besides more dead mammals."

 _"_ _Yeah,"_ she let go of her ear, then started messing with her skirt. She still wore them or dresses more often than her leggings or jeans, he noticed. _"I know he's not really allowed to, but Al emailed a few things about it, I haven't been able to find much, either."_

He set his phone in the cradle next to the computer, leaning over his desk and resting his chin on a paw.

"So, other than not enjoying your time away like you should be, what else is going on today?"

She went stiff, then quickly tried to shake it off.

 _"_ _Oh, you know, this and that,"_ she smiled, wide and nervously. _"Cleaned up the loft a bit, just put Terry down for his nap."_

He cocked a brow.

"You saw that Nate guy again, didn't you?"

She froze again, then nodded.

 _"_ _Y-Yeah, though I'm not really sure why I did,"_ she shivered. _"I mean, he doesn't make me uncomfortable…exactly, he's just…"_

"Completely missing the fact that you're married, likely on purpose?"

She narrowed her eyes at him.

 _"_ _Were you following me today or something?"_

"I made it my job to know how to read mammals," he said. "The only difference is now it's fully legit."

He watched her reaction, how her shoulders slumped, her chin going slowly to her chest. He cocked a brow.

"Was it really that bad?"

 _"_ _Well, no, but…"_ she glanced around, messing with her ear again. Finally, she seemed to snap out of it. _"Anyway, I think the next time I do anything with him will be the last, if there even_ is _a next time."_

That got his attention. He straightened, rolling the chair closer.

"I thought you said it wasn't that bad?"

 _"_ _It's not that,"_ she shook her head. _"I mean, he's nice and all, but it's like you said. I've all but actually said 'I'm happily married, Nate', but he still seems to think it could go somewhere with us."_

He sat back, smoothing the fur of his neck.

"Maybe I could tag along, next time you meet up with him," he said. "That might be what it takes for him to get it."

She smiled.

 _"_ _And I'd just like spending time with you,"_ she blushed again. _"I don't think I'll ever get tired of that."_

He chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.

"I don't know if I'll get out early enough today, but if I do, you want to head down to that park by the loft, walk around for a bit?"

She nodded.

 _"_ _That sounds really nice, Slick,"_ her eyes started shining a bit, then she barely held back a yawn. _"But for now, I think I'll pass out for a while, I didn't exactly get much sleep last night."_

She smirked at him, he rolled his eyes.

"You're the one who decided to make us renew our vows at two in the morning," he grinned back at her. She sighed.

 _"_ _Don't you have a job to do, Sergeant?"_ she switched to her cop voice, but couldn't hold back her smile. He managed a weak chuckle.

"There's not much I can do now except wait for the lab reports to get back," he shuffled through the few sheets of paper on his desk. "I can't even come up with a real list of suspects."

 _"_ _You'll figure it out,"_ she smiled again, even if it was clear she was fading. _"You always do, sweetheart."_

He'd never get tired of hearing that name from her, he was sure of it.

"I know," he traced his claws over the screen, wishing he could really run his fingers down her cheek. "There's a couple things I can at least check up on while I wait for those test results, I'll see you at home, sweetheart."

She giggled, then waved shyly at him.

 _"_ _See you then."_

She ended the call, and he tucked his phone in its case as he got up. He'd remembered the coroner had said he could come by at some point, thinking he might be able to get something from the bodies most other mammals would usually miss. It beat twiddling his thumbs at his desk, that was for sure.

"Hey, Nick!" Yamal peeked out from the cubicle he shared with Jeremy, a bright smile on his face. "You gotta see this!"

He was surprised to see Allan was crammed into the space, too, sitting on the edge of Jeremy's desk, the lion holding his phone sideways between the three of them.

"What's going on in here?"

"My daughter wouldn't stop going on about this new pop star when I dropped her off this morning," Jeremy turned his phone around, holding it at the fox's level. "She kept telling me to look her up, so I did."

It was a music video, the paused shot a close-up of a gorgeous vixen, her longer hair dyed white and brushed over one side of her heavily made-up, bluish-gray face. Her ears were black, her neck and paws white, her eyes bright amber. Nick studied it for a few more seconds before looking skeptically up at his co-workers.

"I'll admit, she looks familiar, but I have no idea where I might've seen her before."

"She calls herself Lady Platinum," Al put in, the tip of his tail waving idly where it hung over the desk. Platinum was one of several atypical colorations that could happen in red foxes, and the individuals with it were usually sought after because of that uniqueness, now that they didn't have to worry about camouflage for survival.

"She's only released a few songs," the wolf went on. "But she hasn't been too bad so far!"

Jeremy tapped the 'play' button in the middle of his screen, and after a few seconds of buffering, the video started again. The camera panned out as the music played, completely electronic by the sound of it, Lady and her row of backup dancers, each a different color mutation, he noticed, spinning in place before she started singing again.

 _'_ _The crowd is waiting, to hear your song'_

 _'_ _No hesitating'_

 _'_ _Time to get your groove on'_

Her voice was heavily auto-tuned, and Nick wondered if she could actually sing at all.

 _'_ _Final countdown'_

 _'_ _Get ready now'_

 _'_ _Five, four, three, two, one!'_

He groaned at the next verse, stepping back like the words physically hurt him.

"I will never understand how mammals can listen to that," he complained. "It's so…fake!"

"So's a lot of fast food," Jeremy paused it again, then sat up. "That doesn't stop us from eating it."

"And at least this won't clog up our arteries or whatever," Yamal spoke up. He shrugged. "And yeah, it's pretty shallow, but you gotta admit it's harmless."

"That's debatable," Nick rubbed one of his ears. "I think I smelled my own blood a second ago."

Yamal scoffed.

"Music snob," he accused jokingly. Nick chuckled.

"As I have a right to be," he crossed his arms. "Classic rock's survived this long for a reason, it kicks pop's ass every time."

"Speaking of music," Allan looked uncomfortable, his tail going still. "Have you figured out why our killer picked those specific songs for our crime scenes?"

Nick shook his head.

"That's one of the things I was going to check out just now, they're not the type to just pick things randomly."

"Not that it helps narrow things down at all," his tail thumped the desk again, this time in agitation. "There's probably millions of mammals in the city like that."

"I know," Nick rubbed his eyes. "It sucks that that's pretty much all we have to go on right now."

"Do you have some suspects, at least?" Yamal asked. Al shook his head.

"None that we weren't able to immediately clear," his shoulders slumped. "I'm really starting to think we're chasing some kind of ghost."

"Makes as much sense as anything else about the case at this point," Jeremy closed out the video and put his phone away. "Have you told Judy who the victims have been so far, Nick?"

"Uh, not yet," he started after some hesitation. "I'm surprised that little detail hasn't been leaked to the news yet, either."

"Not that it's really all that little," Al muttered, then jumped off the over-sized desk. "It's almost time for Bogo's afternoon stomp through this place, we better get back to work before he catches us."

"Right," Jeremy turned to his computer, going on with the report he'd been in the middle of, Yamal doing the same at his smaller desk. Al offered a casual salute before heading off to where he and Stephanie sat. Nick lingered a second before heading down to the evidence room in the basement, checking out the box for his current case and sitting at one of several tables scattered through the outer room. He didn't have to ask why he'd kept so many of the details hidden from her, and he was amazed she hadn't found out yet.

 _She's still dealing with her postpartum,_ he sifted through the pictures; crime scenes, close-ups of measured wounds, stills from CCTV cameras. _There's no telling what these would do to her._

He sighed heavily, the slim stack of photos dropping from his grasp when he thunked his elbows on the table, dropping his face in his paws and rubbing his eyes in exhaustion.

 _But I'd be the biggest moron on the planet if I kept this from her…_

He looked at the ring on his paw, remembering how many times secrets and lies had almost torn them apart, and it only took a few seconds to make his decision.

* * *

 _Ready or Not- the Bratz Babyz movie_


	24. One Less Secret

The sunset always looked so incredible in the city, reflecting off any number of mirrored windows set in buildings of all shapes and sizes. The never-ending thrum of vehicles passing through the streets stretched out below was like Zootopia's heartbeat, just one of many testaments to the diverse lives that strolled the streets each day and night.

 _Nick still calls me a country bunny,_ she stood on her toes to get another scoop out of the formula can, leveling it off before carefully pouring it into another of the coming weeks' bottles. _But I think I was always meant for the city._

One ear flicked back when she heard the lock click, she dropped them both to her back to try and make it look like she was lost in her own little world. Once in a while Nick managed to surprise her, it was amazing how quiet he could be, but more often than not it was just an act on her part. Not that she'd ever admit that to him.

She dropped the scoop in the can and popped the lid on, going stiff when she felt two large, solid arms wrap tenderly around her waist from behind.

"Hey there, sweetheart," he nuzzled the edge of her ear, then slowly licked it. She moaned, leaning back against him, turning her head to root through the soft fur of his neck. She'd never get tired of his scent: thick, hot and musky with a sweet hint of violets. She reached up to drag her claws lightly down his other cheek, loving how his hold tightened on her as she did so. It was a reminder that she knew his every weakness, every inch of his body as well as she knew hers, and she knew it was the same way with him.

"Hey, yourself," she moaned when he nipped at her shoulder, dragging his nose through her shorter coat. A low, possessive growl suddenly rumbled in his chest when he buried it in the fur beneath her chin, and his arms tightened further.

"You are _mine,_ " the words vibrated through her, heating her to the core. She moaned again, her tail twitching helplessly against his strong chest, her heart pounding when his claws suddenly dug into her hips. He whipped her around, pinning her back against the counter, trapping her with a dark paw on each side. His deep green eyes blazed with passion, his pupils sharpened to inky slits as he stared down at her. She shivered as he leaned slowly closer, dragging in a breath when he stopped just short of kissing her.

" _Yes,_ " she didn't hesitate, she never would with him. She grabbed his collar, trying to pull him just that much closer, groaning in frustration when he didn't budge.

"Nick, you tease!" she whined. "Y-You can't just-!"

That was when he struck, his tongue tangling with hers before their lips met, her legs turning to jelly as she pressed her paws to his chest, her fingers curling in the rough cloth of his shirt when he deepened the kiss further. Her ears were burning, flushed when he finally pulled away, just enough for their ragged pants to waft across each other's faces. After a few seconds, he kissed her again, much more gently this time, though lacking none of the feeling from before.

" _Wow_ …" she stared up at him, her wide eyes glazed over, her lips swollen. She dragged in a shuddering breath, her knees knocking together as she tried to regain the strength in her legs. "W-We should do that more often…"

He smiled, keeping her wrapped in his warm embrace.

"Yes, yes, we should," his light, playful smile soon vanished, the glow in his eyes dimming. He held her paw when she touched his cheek, seeming to use the contact to steady himself as he took a deep breath. "Judy, we have to talk."

Her heart froze. He couldn't mean…

"It's about the case I've been working the last couple weeks," he went on, his voice still low. "I-I should've told you about this when it started…"

"What do you mean?" she cupped his other cheek, getting more worried when he didn't answer. He sighed, taking her paws away.

"I'm gonna go shower and change, it's been a long day."

"Yeah," she nuzzled into his neck one last time. "I still have some stuff to finish up in here, anyway."

* * *

He was shirtless when he came out, still drying the fur on his head. Judy was curled up on the couch, a mug of hot tea in her paws, the other waiting for him on the coffee table. He sat down next to her, draping his towel around his neck, leaning forward to take his own larger cup. He stared at it a long time before taking a sip, swirling the rest a bit as he let out a sigh.

"Okay, I'm not gonna waste any more time than I already have with this," he said at last. "Judy, all the mammals that have been killed so far…were my exes."

She hadn't expected to drop her mug, but the next thing she knew, it was shattered on the floor in a spreading puddle. She dropped to her knees and started picking up pieces, keeping her head down so he wouldn't see the tears starting to brim in her eyes. He stood, pulling off his towel and laying it on the floor.

"Soak up the tea with that, I'll go get the broom."

She nodded, still trying to process what he'd just told her. The killer had three victims so far, and Nick had dated all of them? There was no way that was just a coincidence, especially with how the scenes had been staged. They'd all been naked, bound with their paws and feet pulled behind them, and apparently too high to actually think of trying to escape. They'd all been in relationships, found in the last places any of them normally would've been, each with a body part removed.

 _This mammal's trying to tell us something,_ that much was obvious. Thomas had lost his tail, suggesting he'd spent more time than he should have trying to get some. Sasha, her nose, which could mean she'd had a habit of sticking it where it hadn't belonged. Westley's ears were pretty straightforward, he likely hadn't been the best listener. But whatever message the mammal was trying to send, why had they chosen to go about it like this?

She'd just finished cleaning up the tea when Nick came back with the broom, making quick work of the ceramic shards. She held the dustpan as he swept them in, still avoiding his gaze when she got up to throw them away. What on earth could she say to him? Why had he even been allowed to take it in the first place?

"I haven't told Bogo this detail, either," he went to drop the towel in the basket they kept in their laundry closet before sitting down again. He was messing with his tail when she came back with a new cup for herself, a nervous habit she'd noticed a lot of foxes had. "Not beyond the first victim, at least, but just that usually would've been enough to get me taken off the case."

She left the mug on the table this time, scooting closer to him and taking his cool, damp paw in hers. She didn't have to wait long for him to continue.

"He was just about to, actually," he let his tail slip off his lap, rubbing the back of his neck. "Then, somehow, the killer, at least, that's who we're thinking it was, managed to tap into his office phone. They said they had a list of specific targets in mind if I didn't head this case, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who they meant."

He hesitated before touching her cheek, relief filling his eyes when she turned her head to nuzzle softly into his palm. As hurt as she was that he hadn't told her this, she couldn't blame him for it, especially when she'd done the same thing to him.

"You've already been dealing with so much," he went on. "I guess I was just too scared to see what hearing this might do to you."

She sighed with a soft smile, stretching up to kiss him.

"I know how much you worry about me," she said. "Especially lately, but you know you can tell me anything, no matter what it is, no matter what's going on."

She kissed him again, holding it just a bit longer this time. He took her hip, keeping her in place when she tried to pull away.

"I said you were mine earlier," he whispered to her. "But I like to think I'm just as much yours."

Her smile widened, her eyes glittering.

"Of course you are, Nick," she held his paw closer to her cheek. "You always have been, and you always will be."

She loved how his face lit up, when he pulled her to his chest and hugged her tightly. She returned it happily, running her fingers over the set of scars on his left shoulder, the bite mark she'd given him when they'd celebrated their wedding night. He'd given her one in the same spot, and she still ran her fingers over it every morning. She never wanted to forget how special that moment had been, when they'd gone beyond just being a married couple, and had truly become mates.

But then her gaze drifted to the ones on his other shoulder, and she couldn't hold back a shiver. She wanted so badly to forget that day, for those scars to just be gone when they woke up one morning. She curled closer to him, trying to take comfort from the thrum of his heart, the heat of his body as he wrapped his tail around her.

"I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you never go through that again," he licked the top of her head, then pulled her away just far enough to see her face. "The last thing I want is to leave you and Terry alone in the world."

He brushed one of her tears away, a sly smirk starting to form on his lips.

"After all, no male could satisfy you like I can."

She managed to giggle, hoping he'd never run out of ways to cheer her up.

"That's certainly true," she carefully nudged one long foot between his legs. "And I'm sure there's no one else who could handle you, I'm a bunny and I barely can!"

He laughed, holding her close again.

"We'll see how long you last with what I have planned," he grabbed her butt, making her squeak. She swatted at him.

"You naughty fox," she got to her feet, standing in such a way that his nose was buried in the tuft of fur on her chest. "I guess we'll just have to see then, won't we?"

"Will we?" he ran his claws slowly through her tail. "Yes, yes we will."

* * *

She was still tucked against his chest when she woke up, his tail draped over her, the world's best blanket. Her ears perked at a soft kiss between them, and she sat up to see him smiling at her, even if it didn't quite reach his eyes. Turning, she saw the two cups of tea on the coffee table, now long cold, and it was then she remembered just what they'd started talking about the night before.

"Morning," he stretched, his teeth showing when he yawned. She reached down and scratched beneath his chin, drawing a short, sleepy purr from him.

"Morning," she rubbed the back of her neck. "We…kind of got off-track last night, didn't we?"

The smile faded, and he sat up with her, fluffing the fur on the side of his face when he realized it had been flattened during the night.

"Yeah," he rubbed his eye. "It's…not really something I want to focus on…"

She put a paw on his knee.

"I understand that, believe me," she looked up at him. "But keeping that to yourself wouldn't have solved anything."

"I know," he shoved out a breath, getting off the couch and scooping her up in one fluid movement. "And there was actually one other thing I was supposed to bring up."

He nudged their bedroom door open with his foot, setting her down when Terry started to wake up. By the time she got him changed, Nick was already in his uniform, staring at himself in the mirror as he finished with his tie. She sat on the edge of the bed and lifted her shirt, settling back against the pillows as their kit started nursing. It still felt kind of alien, knowing this kit had not only developed inside her for nine months, but that he still relied almost solely on her for his food. She wondered if she'd ever get used to it.

"So, what time's your appointment today?" Nick turned to her, rolling his sleeves like he did every morning. She thought a minute.

"Uh, two or three, I'll have to check, but I was thinking of showing up a couple hours earlier," her eyes narrowed. "I also haven't forgotten the subject you keep trying to change, Slick."

He cringed, smoothing out the dark cloth one last time.

"That obvious, huh?" he came over and sat in front of her, touching their son's cheek with a single claw. "I still can't believe how tiny he is…"

"Neither can I," she started tapping her foot on the blanket. "Now, this case with your exes?"

"Right," he rubbed his neck, looking very uncomfortable. "Anyway, Bogo decided to try and arrange some kind of protection for the ones that are still alive, just in case this mammal's not done yet. None of them accepted, though, which wasn't surprising."

"And because of that threat you're worried whoever this is will come after someone in your family, mostly likely your mom, our son or me," she stated flatly, her eyes narrowing further. "And knowing that, I'm guessing her sudden decision to visit friends out of town the next few weeks wasn't just a coincidence?"

He cringed again, but nodded. She didn't give him a chance to speak.

"And now you want me to take Terry and do the same thing, or let you take us to some safe-house who-knows-where in the city? Forget it," she shook her head when he turned to her, the look on his face saying he was ready to beg. "I'm not going to leave you to deal with all this alone, Nick. Besides, this mammal would likely know where we went no matter how we did it, it would just take time and effort better spent on finding this psycho and taking them out."

He looked aghast when she finished, and she couldn't blame him. She hadn't expected all that to come shooting out at once, either.

"I know you're worried, scared even," she went on more calmly. "But I can help you with this, in ways our friends and coworkers probably can't, because I know you, and your past, better than almost anyone else."

She held out a paw, her ears falling back when he didn't take it.

"No, I'm sorry, Judy," it was the tone he reserved for uncooperative or clammed up suspects, cool and brooking no argument. "You made me promise that I'd stop being so reckless, and you promised me the same thing that day."

He leaned forward, cupping a paw under their kit, Terry's tiny nose twitching at his father's scent.

"And I'm not going to risk him growing up without a mother, you staying here is out of the question," he smiled a bit when Terry cooed. "You're meeting up with my mom tomorrow, your train leaves at ten."

He kissed her forehead, then pulled back, heading out of the room before she could even open her mouth. She couldn't even get her jaw to work until he'd already left, and she finally finished processing everything he'd said to her.

 _How dare he just make a decision like that,_ she thought angrily. _I am_ not _some helpless kit, I don't need protection!_

Terry whined when she gripped him too hard, and she looked down to see him pawing at his face, his big blue eyes gazing innocently back at her. She wiped the milk from his mouth, letting him suck on her finger as she fixed her shirt. She wasn't a helpless kit, but he was, and her stubborn pride was no excuse for even possibly putting him in danger.

 _But I can't just leave Nick alone at a time like this,_ she reasoned, propping him against her shoulder. As always, his burp was deceptively loud, and she couldn't quite hold back a giggle.

"You get that from Daddy, no doubt," she set him on her raised thighs, taking his tiny paws. He gurgled, kicking his feet in his light blue onesie: _'Grandma's Little Prince'._ That was certainly true, Genevieve absolutely spoiled him. It would be nice to see her again, even if it had only been a couple weeks, she'd left a day or two after their last lunch at the park.

 _It should've been_ my _choice what to do, though,_ she glared at the framed picture on her nightstand, a selfie where they'd both tried to surprise the other with a peck on the cheek, and had ended up kissing. It had been during one of their lunch breaks, just after her divorce had been finalized, and had ended up leading to a hot make-out session in a hidden corner of the park before they'd headed back out on patrol. _Doesn't he trust me to look out for myself, and our son?_

She sighed, letting go of Terry's paws and picking him back up. She had a few other appointments before the one at the precinct this afternoon, and if she wanted to stick with her original plan for the day, then she'd have to start getting ready. Holding him to her chest with one paw, she hit the closet, grabbing one of the sundresses she'd bought on their last trip to Bunnyburrow: sunny, checkered yellow with paler swirls throughout, and a pair of close-fitting gray shorts.

 _I'll try and talk to him again later,_ she nabbed a few more things before heading to the bathroom, laying Terry in the simple bouncer they kept in there. _I'm sure he'll change his mind._


	25. This Little Girl

Nick had barely pulled out of the lot when the call came. A shop in Savanna Central had been broken into just before opening, and the owners, an older Swedish llama couple, didn't want to risk contaminating the scene before police even got there. He grabbed the pawset from his dash, saying he was already en route; he passed it almost every morning, anyway, had for years. It was one of the last mom-and-pop places in the city, and they had recently remodeled the second floor of the building for their son's business, the sign out front expanding to Sugar Hollow Bakery and Sweets.

 _But why would anybody want to break into this place,_ he wondered. _They've never kept much cash around._

He pulled into the small parking lot, seeing one other cruiser was already there, his ears falling when he realized whose it was.

 _Oh, sweet cheese and crackers…_

He could see Sweetwater through the window, talking with the husband, Dunlap doing the same with the wife and son on the other end of the storefront. He reached for the radio on the dash, wanting to say the place was already covered, until Sweetwater sent a cold look his way. She excused herself from the conversation before coming out, stopping right behind his car.

"I figured you'd be one of the mammals to show up," she put her hooves on her hips. "You live in a basement not far from here, don't you?"

Nick didn't take the bait, pulling the keys from the ignition and shoving them in his pocket. He climbed out, staring blankly up at her.

"I'm just here to do my job," he said, then walked past her, unable to hold back a smile when he saw how relieved William and Olivia were to see him. They'd been one of the families who'd taken him in for a while he'd lived on the streets, and he'd returned their kindness by helping how he could in the shop and keeping their then wallflower of a son from getting too lost in his own head.

"Nick!" Liam patted his mom's arm before heading toward him, dropping into one of the chairs lined up against the front wall. He buried his face in his hooves, then dragged them down his cheeks. "I can't believe this is happening, who'd want to do this to us?"

"I don't know," Nick crossed his arms, glancing around. "There doesn't seem to be any damage out here, though."

"Oh, no," Liam shook his head, then swallowed hard. "I-It's all upstairs."

He lowered his voice at the last part, casting a wary glance toward Dunlap and Sweetwater. Nick walked closer to him.

"Why haven't you said anything yet?" he asked quietly.

"Because I don't trust those two," he narrowed his eyes at Nick's coworkers. "There's just something about them…"

Nick nodded.

"Tell me about it," he turned to the door on the opposite wall, reading the sign posted next to it: _'Come check our new flavors!'_

"Come on, I'll take you up," Liam got to his feet, keeping watch of the other cops as he led Nick to the scene. "Just wish we could figure out how they got up here."

The display and cashier counter had been half-dismantled, chairs toppled over, various candies spilled across the pale blue and cream tiles. Nick's hackles raised as he spotted the only thing that had been left undisturbed, a small container tucked under what was left of a set of shelves on the wall behind the counter. At first, he thought it was a mini fridge, but opening it he saw it was actually a hidden safe.

"My mom's idea," Liam said from the doorway. "You know how she is."

He tossed the keys, Nick going stock-still when he saw the envelope waiting inside.

 _'_ _Never expected this place, did you, sweetie?'_ The note was just as short as the others. _'I thought it'd be a nice change of pace!'_

He got slowly to his feet, turning to the only other door. That was where Liam had set up his kitchen, and Nick didn't want to think about what he'd see once he opened it.

"Hey," he turned to his friend. "Why don't you head back downstairs? Your mom looked pretty shaken up."

"Yeah," Liam nodded. "This is the first time we've had to deal with a break-in."

Nick shook his head, shoving out a breath as his friend left.

"Believe me," he muttered before jumping up to grab the knob. "I _wish_ this was only a break-in…"

The door swung outward, and he peeked inside, gagging as he took in the scene. The body was positioned just like the others, and like Westley, there was no sign of fatal trauma. In fact, the only injury at all appeared to be two coagulated lines across the mouth, where the mammal's lips had been cut cleanly off.

His paw shaking, Nick reached for the radio strapped to his shoulder.

"Clawhauser, send a forensics team to Sugar Hollow," he managed evenly. "We're going to need them."

* * *

He'd run into Ian Lane a few days before his twenty-third birthday, literally. The peccary had been trying to get away from a group of wolves that had been chasing him for several blocks, crashing into the fox when he'd tried to take cover in a blocked-off construction yard. Nick had already built quite a reputation in the city's underworld, and Ian's first reaction had been to try to flee again. Only to get his ankle caught in a safety net that had snapped off the barely started steel skeleton and fallen to the ground. Suffice it to say he'd been shocked when Nick 'Knee-Breaker' Wilde had stopped to help him out.

He remembered taking Ian to where he'd been living at the time, the basement of a low-income apartment building for larger mammals in the Rainforest District. The owner had allowed it after hearing about Nick's affinity for plumbing, that and dealing with troublesome tenants counting as most of his rent. The rest had been the occasional errand or other favor, and he was still surprised the good deeds hadn't had any effect on his reputation. It had made it easier for him to stay out of the ZPD's clutches, though, since none of the mammals he'd helped had believed he was also one of the most feared enforcers on the streets.

 _And now look at me,_ he thought miserably. He and Ian hadn't been a couple, or at least they hadn't called themselves one, since they'd both admitted they saw the sex mostly as fun and stress relief. They'd been close friends outside of that, though, and had continued to hook up through the years, until Nick had decided to leave the more violent part of that world behind. He had just turned twenty-eight.

"Okay, there's something you don't see every day…"

He turned to see the coroner, a female beaver who looked relieved to be wearing gloves, holding up a wet recorder.

"It was in our victim's mouth," she clarified. "And the volume's cranked, what do you want to bet this is what our song's on this time?"

Nick shook his head, messing absently with his phone.

"Not much of a bet if the game's rigged," he cringed as he said it. Had he really just compared this string or murders to a game? Their killer sure seemed to think that was all it was, though. The coroner watched him for a minute, as if to guess his reaction before she hit 'play'.

 _'My hooves are clean, not yet a killer'_

 _'Ain't I your queen, and did you tell her?'_

 _'Cause you broke down all my shoulda known betters'_

"Well," she held it further away from her and turned down the volume. "I guess that tells us a lot about this mammal…"

Or at least confirmed much of what they were already thinking. This mammal didn't see their actions as crimes, or their victims as equals. Going by the notes, they even seemed to believe they were doing Nick some kind of favor, and he hoped to never understand what could possibly lead to someone thinking that way.

 _'Every girl is capable of murder, if you hurt her'_

 _'Watch out you don't push me any further, any further'_

 _'You're not the only one walking 'round with a loaded gun'_

He reached for the tranq pistol holstered at his hip, his mind flashing to the lethal one stashed in a special compartment in his car. He kept the safety on and the clip full, even if he didn't actually load it unless told he would need it. But none of the victims had been shot so far, was the killer trying to send a message that things were about to get worse? Nick dearly hoped not.

"It's just like the last three," she broke through his thoughts. "I can tell he was drugged with something, but I won't know for sure until we get him to the lab, and we should finally have those other reports for you this afternoon."

The precinct's lab had been having some equipment and software issues the past week, Nick wasn't sure yet if it was connected or not, so they'd had to send the samples elsewhere to get retested. At least it hadn't taken as long as they'd said it might.

"I've gotten just about as much as I can without an autopsy," she got to her feet, taking an evidence bag from her pocket and dropping the recorder in after she shut it off. "I'll let the rest of the team do their job now."

Nick just nodded, still barely able to look Ian's way. Having been in the army reserves, the peccary had kept in amazing shape, which Nick guessed had been most of why he'd been attracted to him in the first place. That was how it had started with several others, after all, including Judy.

 _I doubt she'll go to the station tomorrow unless I take her,_ he thought. Her tenacity was one of his favorite things about her, but that stubborn streak wasn't helping anyone in this case. _I'll talk to her again when I get home tonight, I have to make her understand this…_

He wondered why she didn't seem to be. Was she just refusing to, or was her postpartum affecting even more than she'd let on? He shook his head, deciding now wasn't the time to be thinking about it. This killer had already done too much damage, and he wasn't about to let it happen again.

 _I'll find you,_ he glared out the window. _And I_ will _stop you, mo matter what it takes._

* * *

Westley, Thomas and Sasha had all been drugged with cough syrup, over-the-counter stuff that could've been picked up anywhere. Westley had also had some kind of depressant in his system, the mixture slowing his bodily functions until his heart had simply stopped. Sasha had died of shock from blood loss, Thomas of autoerotic asphyxiation. Abby had just called him, saying she'd found a set of burn marks on the side of Ian's neck, likely from a taser, though she couldn't say whether it had contributed to his death or not. Nick hung up the phone and turned back to his computer, staring blankly at the screen like he had for the past two hours.

Allan was taking care of Ian's foster parents, the only family he'd ever really had, while Tony was looking into the mammal's life. Nick was supposed to be going through footage from the street cameras around Sugar Hollow, starting at three or four in the morning. Pushing his own growing depression aside, he brought up the city's feeds and zeroed in on the street, fast-forwarding to the relevant time. The timestamp read just after four-thirty when Ian jogged past, stopping suddenly as he passed the alley to the left of the place. Nick watched as he hesitated at the mouth before stepping in, wondering what he must have heard. His gut tightened when, after five minutes, his old friend still hadn't come back out, and he fast-forwarded again, until Liam and his parents came to open the shop at six.

That alley was a dead end, piled with empty boxes and crates on either side. It would've been easy for a larger mammal, or a smaller one with help, to stack them into a makeshift ladder under the sole window on that side, which opened into Liam's kitchen. They also would've really needed to know what they were doing, since their victim had been military-trained and even stronger than he'd looked. He'd also been stubborn and hadn't scared easily, which combined with the taser marks, meant it was likely they'd ambushed him.

 _He also would've needed to be conscious for that climb,_ Nick sat back, rubbing his chin. _Those crates wouldn't hold anything larger than a wolf, and I doubt most smaller mammals could've handled him, even with help._

But he hadn't seen anyone enter or leave before Ian, so he rewound a couple of hours, groaning in frustration when he saw the camera that panned across the mouth went static for about three minutes, a half hour before Ian would come by. That was longer than almost any mammal would need to come into frame, duck in the alley and hide, so even if they had been caught on another camera, he wouldn't have any idea who they were.

 _That's just way too neat to be a coincidence,_ he drummed his fingers on the desk. _They must've tampered with it somehow._

He groaned again, slumping forward. How the hell was this mammal still getting away from them? Just how long had they been preparing for this? How long had they been stalking him?

 _I don't even want to think about it,_ he shuddered, then closed out the feeds. He'd come back to them later, but he'd skipped breakfast that morning, and he knew Judy would be ticked if she found out he'd worked through lunch without eating, again. _She has a couple hours before her appointment, I'll ask if she wants to meet up somewhere._

He pulled out his phone and texted her, stopping at the wall of windows next to the stairs. It was a bright, cheerful day, the city even more colorful than usual as they prepared for the parade that would welcome their troops home. They'd been sent to the Far South, where life was still very much like it had been centuries ago, predators and prey killing each other for survival, even if, outside of a massive disaster, no one was actually eaten. Several of the territorial conflicts had been steadily encroaching on their allies down there, the few modern cities in the region, and they'd sent in specially trained squadrons as a deterrent. They'd expected to only need six or eight months to help push back the tribes, but their efforts, peaceful as they'd been, had ended up being met with a wave of hostility. One that had erupted in a two-year war.

 _At least that's one conflict over,_ he thought with a low sigh. _For now…_

He watched the street for a few more minutes, then went on his way, his ears perking slightly when he saw the door of a storage closet was ajar. Had a mop fallen over, or was another couple looking for privacy? Nick hoped it was the last one as he headed over, chuckling silently at the thought of catching them in the act. Nothing like some belated revenge for all the times he and Judy had been interrupted.

 _Too bad I can't reach the light in here,_ he peeked past the door, his spirits falling a bit when he saw it was empty. _Huh, guess it just didn't latch._

He started to pull back, ready to shut the door when someone stopped it, and the next second a sharp pain flared across his hips. He crashed against a low shelf before dropping limply to the floor, breathing heavily when, in the last few seconds of light, he saw a nightmarish shape, something that just couldn't be real.

 _No,_ he tried to drag himself further into hiding. _Y-Y-You're supposed to be_ dead _!_

* * *

 _This Little Girl- Cady Groves_


	26. A Sweet Goodbye

Judy hadn't realized just how much she'd missed the precinct the last few months until she walked through the front doors again, a wide smile spreading across her face when she saw the sun spilling down through the high windows. Several of the mammals scattered around the large room waved to her, but no one looked more excited than Ben, the cheetah nearly bouncing in place as she walked toward his desk.

"O-M-Goodness, Judy," he muffled his squeal behind his paws, his already wide brown eyes opening to their limit when he noticed the pastel cloth draped across her chest, how tenderly she supported it. "It's so great to see you!"

She giggled, readily accepting his hug when he knelt on the floor to offer it. He was even more careful with her than he usually was, and when it was done she pulled back a fold in the blanket, uncovering her son's face. Terry stared up at the beaming cheetah, cooing before sticking a tiny paw in his mouth.

"Awww," Ben cupped his cheeks, his new wedding band flashing on his finger. "He's so adorable!"

"I know," she tucked the blanket around him again. "I'm surprised I can look away from him!"

Ben smiled brightly before getting back in his chair, holding his paws out to her. She sat down on his palms, gripping his wrist as he lifted her, setting her gently on the edge of his desk. Her spirits fell a bit when she caught sight of his ring again.

"I'm so sorry Nick and I missed your wedding," she'd already apologized during a video chat they'd had the day after, while he and Stephanie had been waiting for the plane that would take them to the ski resort, which had turned out to be a private jet organized by Ben's brother and his business partner. Ben chuckled.

"Like we were going to let you have this little miracle in the middle of a park," he patted the side of the carrier with a claw tip, drawing back when Terry started squirming and fussing. Judy shook her head.

"Don't worry, I just haven't had a chance to feed him yet," she carefully shrugged off her backpack and unzipped the front pocket, pulling out one of the capped bottles she'd prepped that morning. She'd finally worked up the courage to use the pump her aunt had sent her, and with how long it had taken to get the hang of it, she wasn't sure yet if there'd be a second time. She popped off the cap and set it aside, her ears folding back in contentment when Terry quickly started eating. "Oh, thank goodness, he usually won't take it if we don't warm it first."

"I've got a microwave down here you could've used," Ben motioned to a shelf under the desk. "Just in case the one in the break room stops working, not that I use either of them much now."

Judy smiled brightly.

"You've really done a great job keeping the weight off, Ben," she said. "You look amazing!"

He blushed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh, goodness, I never could've done it without all of you behind me, especially Stephanie," his blush deepened. "Let's just say she knows how to keep me motivated."

She giggled again, putting the bottle down when Terry finished, gently lifting him out and propping him against her shoulder. He put a paw over his mouth when he heard what the kit could do.

"Yep, he's Nick's, alright," he laughed, Judy joining him as she settled her son back down.

"Speaking of Nick, he sent me a text a few minutes ago, asking if I wanted to meet up for lunch. I didn't tell him exactly when I'd be stopping by," she capped the bottle and slipped it in her backpack. "Anyway, I said that'd be perfect, but he hasn't gotten back to me yet. Did he get caught up in something?"

"Not that I know of," Ben shook his head. "But then I don't really go upstairs much, the Chief doesn't like me leaving the desk unattended for long."

"I can understand that, you've got an important job here, B-" she stopped, her ears snapping upright. "Did you hear something just now?"

He looked at her.

"Like what?"

"I don't know," her ears twitched when it came again. It sounded faintly familiar, like something she'd heard in a dream. Worry started to bubble in her gut when Allan raced by, the wolf skidding to a stop when he saw her.

"Judy! Thank god," he hurried over, breathing somewhat heavily. "Tony just called me, there's something wrong with Nick!"

"What?" Judy pressed her paws to her mouth. She knew she'd heard that noise before! She turned to Ben, who'd already shot to his feet and was heading toward the stairs.

"I'll go get the Chief, you guys find out what happened!"

"Right," Allan picked Judy up before she could protest, his pace slowed to a fast walk as he headed for the hall where the bullpen was. Several of their coworkers were gathered around a supply closet, Judy's heart sinking when she could finally clearly hear what was going on behind it. Terrified whimpers and whines, punctuated by panicked yips and frantic scratching, occasional thuds as whoever was behind the door threw themselves against it.

"Oh, Nick…" tears welled in her eyes as Allan set her down, she barely heard him as she pushed her way through, one arm wrapped protectively around their kit. She'd just broken through the forest of legs when Yamal stopped her, putting a firm paw on her shoulder.

"Sorry, Lieutenant Wilde," he said. "But I can't let you get any closer."

She didn't fight, not wanting to frighten Terry any more than he already was, glaring coldly up at her taller subordinate.

"Let go, Detective," she hardly ever used that tone, despite the long hours she'd spent practicing it as a child. "That's an order."

He winced for a second, but quickly regained his cool.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Ma'am," he started to pull her back. "It's not safe for you, we don't know what he's-"

"I know _exactly_ what he's capable of," she rolled her shoulder out of his grip. "I've seen him like this before, and he didn't do anything to hurt me then, either."

Yamal didn't look convinced, his frightened gaze darting to the carrier she wore.

"But what about-"

"Trust me," she held up a paw to stop him. "I know what I'm doing."

She turned to address the rest of the crowd.

"Now, I want you all to give us as much space as possible," she started, her strong voice echoing slightly. "And _none_ of you are to move unless _I_ give the signal to, understand?"

Several of them nodded, others just shuffling their feet. Allan came around the edge of the crowd, standing by the door and grabbing the knob.

"I've seen what you can do, Judy," he twisted it, his ears flicking back at the low growl that started as he pulled it slowly open. "Go work your magic."

She barely heard him, her world narrowing until the figure before her was all that remained. Nick stood on all fours, his back arched with every inch of fur bristled, his thick tail snapping angrily at the air. He hissed in pain as light flooded the pitch darkness of the tall, narrow closet, ears pinned flat against his head as his pupils narrowed to glinting slits. Judy just smiled gently at him, taking slow, measured steps until she stood in the doorway, carefully lowering herself to her knees. She didn't look directly in his eyes, instead watching his claws stretch out and retract, scraping softly along the floor. A few minutes later, his nose twitched, then his nostrils flared as he dragged in deeper breaths, likely confused as to why her scent didn't hold even a drop of fear.

"I'm not afraid of you, sweetheart," she said softly. She held out her unadorned paw, palm down, knowing the glint off her rings would likely startle him. "I never have been, and I never will be."

He kept up his defensive posture, his growls getting shorter with each breath. She didn't move as, at last, he started coming closer, hesitantly putting one paw in front of the other, until he was barely half a foot from her. Keeping her paw out, she tilted her head back, exposing the soft white fur of her throat.

"That's right, Nick," she smiled gently. "There's nothing to worry about, it's okay."

He sniffed a few more times before creeping forward, his ears perking a bit when he saw the small bundle tucked against her chest. She couldn't hold back a giggle when he touched that cool nose against her neck, his tail wagging a bit when he reached her chin. He whined happily, nuzzling her a minute more before licking her cheek.

"Yes, Nick," she scent-marked him, moaning when he did the same to her. "I'm your mate, and this…"

She folded the blanket back from Terry's face, the little boy staring up at his father in wonder.

"Is our son."

Nick lowered his nose to Terry's head, the kit letting out his first laugh at the gusty sensation. Judy's heart melted at the sound; she blinked back the tears starting to form as Nick curled up around her, peppering her cheek with small nuzzles and licks.

Licks that, soon enough, became light, affectionate kisses.

"Oh, Nick," she cupped his chin, angling her head to catch the next one on her lips. He returned it gratefully, his eyes shining when he pulled back.

"Thank you, Judy," he whispered, rising to his knees as she was. He cradled her head with one paw, pulling lightly at her waist with the other to bring her closer. He kissed her tenderly, her free paw coming up to grip the cloth that covered his chest, his heart still pounding unusually fast behind it. Most of their gathered coworkers broke out in applause when he pulled away. "I love you."

She smiled, letting the tears free as she leaned in against his shoulder.

"I love you, too."

"Would someone mind telling me what's going on here?" Bogo stepped up from the back of the crowd, Clawhauser hanging slightly behind him. How long had they been there? Judy swallowed, suddenly nervous about having to explain.

"W-Well, sir," she started, somewhat haltingly. "Y-You see, it's…"

"I went savage, sir," Nick said plainly. He wrapped his arms further around her, protecting her. "I was forced into the closet, and it reminded me of when Judy and I were Josh's, and later Tybalt's captives. I thought I saw him shutting the door on me, and I panicked."

Bogo nodded in understanding, crossing his huge arms over his chest. The hard glint in his eyes said he already knew the answer to his next question.

"And would you be willing to tell me who's responsible for putting you in that state?"

Nick didn't speak this time, instead turning to face a pair of officers standing together at the front of the crowd, the wide, cruel smiles they'd barely bothered to try and hide falling completely off their faces. Bogo scowled at them, his expression colder than anyone had seen in years.

"Sweetwater, Dunlap, my office, _now._ "

* * *

"So, wait, you've really gone savage before?" Yamal stared across the table at Nick. He'd joined their usual group for lunch in one of the conference rooms, sitting between Stephanie and Allan as they all devoured an extra-large veggie pizza. Sitting on an elevated chair, Judy still curled up in his lap, the fox gravely nodded.

"Back during the Half-and-Half Abductions," he winced at the name. "Fluff and I had been kidnapped by the perps, and one of them, Tybalt, told me what I'd done to her, what they'd _forced_ me to do to her."

He swallowed hard, his jaw clenching before he continued.

"The guilt from that, combined with being trapped in a small, pitch black space, was more than I could handle, and I…" he gulped again. "I snapped. I ended up attacking Tybalt, and after he'd killed Josh and come around to do the same to us, I, uh…"

He shook his head, Tony patting his shoulder briefly before continuing for him.

"Let's just say he gave that piece of trash what he deserved," his lips twitched in a snarl. "He won't be hurting anyone else."

"And speaking of crazy assholes," Allan spoke up, wincing a bit when Judy scowled at him. "You think Dunlap and Sweetwater are finally gonna get what's coming to them?"

"Fingers crossed," Stephanie held up a paw. "I've hated those two since the day I first met them."

"I think pretty much all of us have," Tony crossed his arms and leaned over the table. "I'm still trying to figure out how they've lasted this long."

Al focused on Nick, who looked away with his ears pressed flat against his head.

"You don't even have to say it," he uttered lowly. "I know I screwed up."

Yamal rolled his eyes.

"From what I've heard, that's the understatement of the century," he brushed something from his sleeve. "What I don't get is why you never reported them before, even at the academy."

Nick glanced down at Judy, who just stared flatly back at him. He sighed, nuzzling her forehead before looking back to them.

"Because I let my past experiences cloud my judgement," he admitted. "I was brushed off almost every time I tried making a complaint in the past, so I decided it wasn't worth the effort to keep trying, no matter how bad things got."

"I went through a lot of that, too," Judy said. "Except I knew they'd take it as me not being able to handle it, so instead I used that frustration to push myself further, but not just to prove them wrong."

She adjusted the bundle in her lap, all of them smiling at the tiny, high-pitched squeak that came from it.

"That has to be the cutest freaking thing I have ever heard," Al covered his mouth, staring wide-eyed at the bunny. They all knew how much she hated that word. Instead, she giggled.

"Normally, you'd be in trouble for that, Wolfard," she said mock-seriously. "But since there really isn't any other way to describe that sound, I'll give you a pass this time. Just be sure to watch yourself in the future."

He nodded, sighing in relief at not being stared down by an angry Judy. The rest of them chuckled, Nick wrapping his arms more closely around her. Allan pouted.

"Wait, then how come Nick gets to use it?" he couldn't quite keep the smile from his face. She rolled her eyes, smirking back at him.

"Because he's my husband, you silly wolf," she snuggled under his chin. "And Terry's just as much his son as he is mine, the only condition is he can't use it for me."

"Believe me, I've tried," Nick started. "But she even seems to know when I'm thinking it."

As if on cue, Judy dug her elbow into his ribs, making him cough.

"See?"

They laughed again, the noise dying down when Snarlov walked by, one paw each on Dunlap's and Sweetwater's shoulders, the smaller mammals dressed in civilian clothes and carrying boxes filled with their things. They paused just long enough to sneer at the group, the looks just getting uglier when they hit Nick and Judy. Lance shoved them along before he could say anything, hardly hiding the fact he was glad to be the one to escort them out.

"Hopefully we never see their ugly mugs around here again," Stephanie sat back in her chair, then took out her phone. "But lunch was over five minutes ago, and you know how Bogo gets if he sees we're late."

Tony shivered.

"That's one thing I really don't need to go through again," he got up, the others following suit. "We'll see you guys later, okay?"

"Yeah," Nick stayed where he was, and Judy didn't look too eager to move, either. She waited until their friends had left before shifting in his lap, moving to kiss his cheek.

"Is there anything I can do to help cheer you up?" she asked softly. He smiled, running a paw down her ears.

"Just sit with me right now, Fluff," he said. "That's all I need."

She bit her lip, putting a paw over his.

"There's only about thirty minutes until my appointment," she nuzzled under his chin. "But I don't mind missing it, if it means helping you."

"I could go with you," he spoke up. "Maybe it'll help."

She hummed thoughtfully, laying her head back against his shoulder.

"I'd like that, but do you think I could have a few sessions by myself first?" she rubbed the back of her neck. "I just…"

She shook her head, letting out a gusty breath.

"I just feel like I should…process all this a bit more before I tell you anything else about it."

Nick was silent for a while, lightly tracing the rim of one ear with his nose.

"I understand that, I'm just glad you're getting help," he tilted her chin back, flicking the tip of his tongue across her lips before kissing her. She tried to smile, but it didn't last long.

"I should've brought it up to you long before I did, I don't know what I was thinking," she sighed, putting her paws over her eyes. "I don't even want to think about how bad it might've gotten if I'd kept trying to hide it."

"Then don't," he took both her paws in one of his, cupping her cheek with the other. "There's no point in focusing on what could've happened, all that matters is that you've accepted you're dealing with it, and you're getting the help you need."

She looked up at him, then nodded. He kissed her again, cradling her in one arm as he carefully slid off the chair. He landed in a neat crouch, grinning slyly at her as he straightened. She huffed.

"Show-off," she crossed her arms under the carrier. He chuckled, scent-marking her before setting her down.

"Gotta keep you interested in me somehow, Fluff," he tried to take her paw, but instead she wrapped her arms around his, nearly pressing herself to his side as they headed to the lobby.

"I'll admit, the fancy stunts and sweet gestures help," she beamed at him. "But all I really need is you."

She stopped when they hit the foot of the stairs, Nick looking curiously back at her from the floor. She cupped his chin with one paw, dragging hers slowly along the length of his muzzle, ending it with a small lick to his nose.

"You didn't give me a chance to do that earlier," she hopped off the last step, taking his arm again as they started through the lobby, only for him to go stock-still.

"I don't believe it…" he took half a step forward, his paw starting to shake. "I-It's Alice…"


	27. Meeting Up

"Who?" Judy followed his gaze, seeing a white and bluish gray vixen in a tight, dark violet dress, a deep blue backpack hanging off one slim shoulder. She looked around nervously before finishing her walk through the lobby, standing on her toes so her paw could be seen over the edge of the desk that almost dwarfed her.

"Um, excuse me," her voice was low and sultry, and Judy wondered where she might've heard it before. Ben leaned over the desk, his face half-way between professional and freaking out.

"Is there something I can help you with, Miss?"

"Yes," she lowered herself, starting to bounce a bit on her heels. "I'm looking for a red fox named Nick Wilde, a friend of ours said he's been here for a while."

She pulled off her backpack, unzipping the largest pocket.

"I don't know what he's done this time," she went on, holding it up to him. "But this should be more than enough to pay his bail and whatever fines come up."

Ben's jaw dropped further in shock. He pulled back, shaking his head.

"I-I'm afraid you misunderstood," he started nervously. "N-Nick's not being held here, he's…"

"The first fox to wear a uniform," Nick spoke up, smiling widely. The girl stared at him, then dropped her bag, letting out a high-pitched squeal.

"Oh my god! Nick!" she ran to him, giggling happily as she threw her arms around his neck, nearly knocking him over in her excitement. He laughed, hugging her back just as tightly, keeping his paws on her shoulders when she finally let go. She was still grinning like crazy, joyful tears streaming down her cheeks. "I-I thought Aunt Genevieve was just dreaming when she said you were a cop, but you actually are!"

"Yep," he stepped back, straightening his blues before standing proudly. "You're looking at Sergeant Nick Wilde of the ZPD!"

The vixen squealed again, tackling him in another tight hug. But she pushed back when she saw the ring on his paw, her expression turning hurt.

"Wait, when did you…I-I never heard anything…" she brought her white-tipped tail in front of her, running a paw through the silky fur. Nick's ears fell.

"I tried to find you," he explained. "We all did, but whenever we thought we were getting close, you disappeared again."

She winced.

"I just…kept running into trouble," she let go of her tail, wringing her paws like his mother did. "I-I've been going around Ermineland the last few months…I don't really want to talk about it."

She cleared her throat, putting that bright smile back on her face.

"So…who's the lucky guy?"

"Oh, right," he chuckled again, putting an arm around Judy's shoulders. "Alice, this is my wife, Judy."

He knelt down, carefully parting the blanket to show a tiny cream and russet face.

"And our son, Terry," he lightly kissed the side of her head. "Judy, this is Alice, my favorite cousin growing up."

Judy just kept staring, blinking like a toy with a short in it. Finally, she seemed to come out of it, all but hopping in place.

"Oh, my gosh," she gripped his arm, shaking it in her excitement. "N-Nick, that's Lady Platinum!"

Alice stared at her a minute before giggling.

"Wow, I didn't think anyone over here had heard of me," she blushed. "I'm just a Ewetube star!"

"One of my favorites," Judy beamed up at her. "Some of our coworkers really like your stuff, too!"

"Me included," Ben said proudly, leaning over his desk again. Alice giggled.

"Guess I'll have to do my best on my next song, then," she went to grab the backpack she'd dropped, zipping it before slinging the strap over her shoulder. "Well, now that I don't have anyone to bail out, guess I'll go back to my hotel, I'm kind of worn out from my trip."

Nick chuckled.

"I could show you around the city if you like, Alice," he smiled at her. "I've got the rest of the afternoon off, we'd just have to wait a bit for Carrots here."

He looked down at Judy, smiling fondly at her. She smiled back before turning to Alice.

"I should only be an hour or so," she said. "Then during the tour, we can stop and get something to eat, if you want."

"Sure!" Alice's paw tightened on her backpack strap. "That sounds awesome!"

"Great!" Judy curled her paws under Terry, the extra noise from their excitement was making him fuss. "How about we all just meet back here? Nick could show you around, or there's plenty of places you could go if you just want to catch up for a bit."

Alice winced.

"I vote for sitting somewhere to catch up, I haven't really stopped walking since I got off the train from the airport."

Nick nodded.

"I've had an…eventful couple of hours," he rubbed his neck. "I could go for just sitting somewhere for a bit."

He bent down, kissing the top of Judy's head.

"Guess we'll see you later?"

"Yeah, that works," she nuzzled his cheek, giggling when his tail started wagging. "You silly fox."

"Only for you, sweetheart," he called after her as she headed off, pausing to wave at him. He lowered his voice, still smiling dreamily as she disappeared around a corner. "Only for you."

He turned back to Alice, who was watching him quizzically.

"I know you've never had a problem dating other species," she said. "But I didn't think you'd ever go after a bunny again."

Nick felt his ears flare, pinning them to the back of his head.

"It's…kind of a long story," he rubbed his neck again. "And some of it gets…kind of messy."

She rolled her eyes.

"You wouldn't think that if you knew even half of what I've been through the last few years," she put her free paw on her hip. "So how about this, you take me somewhere we can talk without getting spied on, and we take turns going from worst to best. That sound fair?"

He shrugged, sticking his paws in his pockets before leading her outside, her jaw going partially slack when she saw his car.

"Grandpa gave you this, didn't he?" she regained herself quickly, turning to pout at him. He laughed.

"Only because I was top of my class at the academy," he hit the button to unlock it. "They even tricked it out as an unmarked cruiser, free of charge, at least for me."

She rolled her eyes at his cocky tone, dropping her bag at her feet when she slipped into the passenger seat. He was behind the wheel before she even got her door shut.

"I actually forgot how fast you are," she blinked at him. He keyed the ignition, smiling when the engine purred smoothly to life.

"That sound never gets old."

"No, it doesn't," she reclined her seat a bit, watching the view as he made his way through the mid-afternoon traffic, her ears perking when he pulled into another parking lot. "Oh, wow, this place hasn't changed a bit!"

It was the park they'd always gone to as kids, less crowded than usual for this time of day. The three jungle gyms, a ship, rocket and castle, were connected by a bridge, rings and hanging bars, all of them towering over the massive sandbox they stood in. Several swing sets were centered in another one, most of them occupied by kids of all ages, adults keeping watch from the benches scattered in the shade cast by the trees. Nick had been surprised to find out one of Bogo's predecessors had organized the project, even more that she'd been able to get much of the community behind it, at a time when preds and prey had all but literally been at each other's throats. Blatant segregation toward predators had just been outlawed nationwide, and she and the mayor had hoped offering children such an incredible and open place to play would help soften the attitudes many of their parents had been trying to instill. Of course, it hadn't worked quite as well as they'd hoped, but it all still stood as a reminder that, if they worked together, anything was possible.

"The clearing where we used to go camping is still there, too," Nick shut off the car, tucking his keys in his pocket. He'd changed out of his uniform while the others had been getting lunch, keeping the white shirt and pulling on a pair of the gym shorts he kept in his locker. "We could talk there, if you want."

"I'm good here for now," she reclined a bit more, taking off her seatbelt and turning to face him. "Now, tell me exactly how you met your new bunny, then I'll keep up my end of the deal."

He chuckled, putting his seat back, too.

"Well, it started when I was working with Fin…"

* * *

Judy reclined on the couch, having just finished putting Terry down for his nap. She'd texted Nick when her appointment with Dr. Price had finished, saying she wasn't feeling up to joining them as he showed Alice around the city. Spending over an hour talking about everything she'd gone through the past months had been even more draining than she'd thought it would be. It hadn't helped that she'd spotted Nate talking to Georgie, the leopard who owned the Factory Lofts building, in the lobby when she'd gotten back. She'd already turned down two attempts to take her for lunch the past week, and even for a walk in the park after he finished work one evening.

 _I must've told him eight times by now that I'm not interested in dating,_ she thought, staring up at the ceiling. _At least, not anyone besides my_ husband.

That was what he just didn't seem to get, or was he purposefully ignoring that fact? She swallowed, asking herself why she hadn't just thrown his card away, or cut off contact with him the first time he'd made her feel uncomfortable. That was what she should've done, but instead, she'd followed everyone's advice too well, going out and meeting mammals regardless of her better judgement.

 _Ugh, that is so me,_ she threw an arm over her eyes, then let it slide off. _Of_ course _I'd get myself stuck in this situation._

She sat up when someone knocked on the door, her nose twitching as she went to answer, giving an audible sigh of relief when she saw who it was.

"It's you, Finnick," she smiled at him. He flashed a genuine smile that, like with Nick, had become more common the longer they knew each other.

"Nice seein' you too, bunny cop," he chuckled, strolling in when she stepped aside. He looked around as she shut and locked the door behind him. "You two drivin' each other nuts yet?"

She laughed, heading to the kitchen.

"I'm pretty sure that happened a long time ago, Fin," she looked over her shoulder. "Can I get you a beer or something?"

"Nah," he took one of his paws from his pocket, shining his claws on his shirt. "Trying to cut back on that crap. Gotta be there for the pipsqueak, don't I?"

She rolled her eyes, grabbing two of the smaller bottles of water they kept in the fridge, shutting the door with her foot before heading back over to him.

"You know he'll end up being about three times your size, right?"

"Pff, yeah," he unscrewed the cap and took a long swig. "S'why I gotta milk it as long as I can."

She groaned, setting her own bottle on the arm of the couch as they sat down.

"I'd ask if you two could possibly _not_ corrupt Terry, but I feel like I'd be better off talking to the wall."

He chuckled again, lifting his water bottle.

"Got that right, bunny cop," he took another sip, wiping his mouth with the back of his paw. He swirled what was left a few times before putting the cap back on, then sighed, dropping it on the cushion next to him. "So, I take it Nick told you what happened with the last bunny he dated?"

She froze, staring at him.

"Wait…what?"

He nodded.

"It was just after that Sasha girl dumped him," he explained. "Kid was a wreck, I didn't think he was ever gonna come out of it, but then, _she_ showed up."

Judy let the plastic bottle slip from her paws as she processed all that. His past relationships had been the only thing Nick hadn't been willing to divulge, and since she'd already had an overload of information to sort through and digest, she'd let it slide. She had tried to broach the subject more than once since then, but they'd either been interrupted by work or he'd just change the subject, even if he was usually pretty tactful about it. She swallowed, quickly stroking the ear that had fallen limp over her shoulder.

"Do you think you could…tell me more, about her?"

She wasn't surprised when he shook his head.

"I'm not gonna do that to him," he said plainly, voice full of conviction. "If he wants you to know, he'll tell you himself."

She huffed, her ears flicking up as indignation took over.

"I know, it's just…that's the _only_ part of his past he's still secretive with me about," she mashed her face into her paws. "Even worse is he won't even tell me why he's doing it, I don't know if he's trying to protect me or what!"

She winced when she realized how loud she'd gotten, both of them sitting silently to make sure Terrance hadn't woken up.

"You can at least tell me that much, can't you?" she asked, making an effort to keep her voice low. "Why won't he tell me about his exes, especially now that several of them have been murdered?"

The little tan fox shrugged again, his brown eyes dark with regret.

"I wish I could, but a lot of that is shit he won't even tell _me,_ " he swallowed. "And as for what he has, well, you know how he gets…"

She nodded, unable to hold back a shudder. Usually, Nick had a cool temper and a long fuse, and outside of harming those he cared about, the one thing that was sure to ignite it was when someone went behind his back. Which was pretty hypocritical, she thought, considering the stunt he'd just tried to pull with her, even if she did understand his reasons for doing so.

 _He probably thinks he's protecting me somehow,_ she crossed her arms. _When is he going to learn that I don't need to be babied?_

"I guess I could try talking to him again," she pushed the thought aside, hoping it wouldn't get stuck in her head later. That was the last thing either of them needed right now. "But I think I'll wait until this case is over and he's had a chance to recover a bit from it, I don't think I'd get too much from him now."

Fin shook his head.

"No, you wouldn't," he gulped down the last of his water, crushing the bottle against his forehead. "I should probably get going, though, I got a job downstairs to get back to."

"You mean that electrical work in the lobby?" she asked. "I didn't see you down there when I got back."

He smirked.

"Probably 'cause I was busy taking a smoke on the roof," he hopped to the floor, Judy grabbing his bottle as she finished hers, tossing them both in the recycling bin they kept by the fridge. She could empty it in the main one by the dumpster once Nick got home. "It's the only thing keepin' me sane on this job."

She giggled, opening the door for him.

"Well, you're welcome to escape up here once in a while until the job ends, your godson would love to see you again."

She smiled at the embarrassed, joyful look that tried to cross his face, only to get shoved back by a mask of cool indifference.

"I guess I can do that, make sure that dumbass is treatin' him right," he knew as well as she did that that would never be a problem. He turned away from her, heading for the stairs and throwing up two fingers in a brief wave. "Later, bunny cop!"

She giggled again, then slipped back inside, leaning heavily against the door once she'd locked it.

 _Thank god it wasn't who I thought it would be._

That line of thought was shattered when someone else knocked, the strikes too heavy for Fin's paws, but not enough for a mammal Nick's size. Asking herself why she didn't just ignore it, she pushed away from the door and opened it again, plastering a nervous smile on her face to hide her falling mood.

"Oh, it's you!"


	28. Pacify Her

The Canyonlands was an off-shoot of Sahara Square, where most of the district's factories had been built. Nick had just dropped Alice off at her hotel when he'd gotten the call, Clawhauser saying an envelope had been found taped to the door of a temperature-controlled room in a car manufacturing plant located on the north side of the Steeplechase Industrial Park. He'd stayed on just long enough to request a forensics team, and now the building manager was leading him to the room in question.

"We use it to see how our cars will hold up in places like Sahara Square or Tundra Town, or really anywhere you might have more extreme weather," the raccoon explained. She was about Nick's age, plump for someone who spent so much time on her feet. The factory focused mainly on vehicles for smaller mammals, and so wasn't as massive as some of the ones he'd seen, but it still took upwards of twenty minutes to reach the room in question. His eyes narrowed when he saw the envelope, the cream paper hard to miss against the grays of iron and steel. He went a bit ahead of her and pulled it off, turning it over in his paws before turning to her.

"Has anyone been in this room lately?"

She shook her head.

"This one's actually been closed for repairs the last couple days," she explained. "The heaters haven't been turning on."

"Is that right," he stepped aside as she went to open it, barely holding back a snarl when he saw the note inside.

 _'_ _Remember this one, sweetie? I'm sure you do!'_

His head snapped up when the manager screamed, falling back on her tail, staring vacantly into the room. He knelt down behind her, gripping her shoulders to try and calm her, his heart thumping when he looked for himself. Lying just beyond the door was an arctic hare, female, bound and nude, but this time with one extra feature. Her mouth had been propped open with a dental retractor, but it was what wasn't there that made his blood freeze.

Every single one of her teeth had been pulled completely out.

"Oh my god…" it didn't take much longer to recognize the victim, her bright blue eyes, so unusual for her species, staring blankly at him. Her thick winter coat was half grown-out, the grayish-brown of her summer one just starting to overtake the white. He shook off the shock when his phone vibrated in his pocket, a text from Allan saying he and Stephanie had just arrived behind the forensics van. He messaged back where they were, saying it was the same killer.

 _'_ _This is getting crazy,'_ the wolf answered. _'When is it gonna stop?'_

 _'_ _I wish I knew, Tails,'_ Nick sighed, shaking his head. _I wish I knew._

He pulled off his jacket, he always kept one in the trunk, draping it over her shoulders before bringing her gently to her feet, guiding her to his team as they came around the corner.

"Hopefully we'll actually find something this time," Abby, already decked out in a snug suit to keep her fur off the scene, tugged on a pair of blue latex gloves, then some matching paper slippers. "I'm getting tired of almost all our tests coming back negative."

"You and me both," Nick leaned against the outside of the doorframe, watching as she and her assistant, a meerkat whose name he hadn't caught yet started processing the scene.

"Got a phone here, Sarge," she was kneeling behind the body holding up the rabbit-sized device. It was decked out in a glittery pink case, just as it had been the last time he'd seen it, just a few weeks before a certain meter maid hd hopped into his life. "There's no passcode on it, and it looks like there's a video open. You want me to play it?"

Nick nodded, wrapping his tail around his feet to help block out the chill from the room. Alice's hotel was in Sahara Square, and he hadn't seen the point of going all the way back to the precinct just to change back into his uniform, but now he was starting to wish he'd kept it with him instead of stashing it in his locker. Abby took a small stylus from the bag at her side, tapping the screen before turning up the volume.

 _'_ _Pacify her, she's getting on my nerves'_

 _'_ _You don't love her'_

 _'_ _Stop lying with those words'_

Nick's ears went flat against his head. He knew that song, and if he'd had any doubts about who this mammal was before, this sent every single one of them packing.

 _'_ _I can't stand her whining'_

 _'_ _Where's her binky now'_

 _'_ _And loving her seems tiring, so boy, just love me down, down, down'_

"H-Her name's Allison," he stuttered without thinking, both of them pausing just long enough to stare blankly at him. "Allison Het, we had some…trouble, a few years ago."

Abby paused the video and sealed the phone in an evidence bag, passing it to her assistant before focusing back on the body.

"She didn't die of hypothermia," she stated the obvious first, just like always. "But it'll be pretty hard to find an accurate time of death since she's been here for who knows how long."

Nick nodded, sticking his paws in his pockets.

"How long do you think it'll be before you find cause of death?"

She shrugged, snipping off a few clumps of fur, sticking each in its own sample bag.

"Probably a day or two at the earliest, I'm also sure she was drugged with cough syrup like the others," she used a pair of forceps to carefully pull out Allison's tongue, showing the bright red coloration. "Either that, or she had a serious vitamin C deficiency."

"It looks like she put up a fight, too," the meerkat, Timon, according to his name tag, held up one of her paws. Two of her claws were broken, the tips of her other fingers spattered with blood where they'd been torn out. Her left paw was a similar mess. "That's more than any of the others so far."

Nick nodded.

"She had to be one of the most hot-tempered mammals I've ever met," he sighed again. "She also loved talking about anyone she felt had wronged her, and it didn't matter how intimate or embarrassing the story was. All she cared about was getting some kind of revenge."

"That explains the tooth thing," Abby swabbed the inside of Allison's mouth. "I'm guessing that's the same story with the other mutilations we've had so far?"

"Yeah," Nick swallowed. "T-Thomas liked chasing tail, guys or girls, and Sasha was too curious for her own good."

He swallowed.

"Westley wasn't the best listener," he went on. "And Ian had a habit of saying too much, especially in situations where he would've been better off keeping quiet."

He shoved out his next breath, turning away from the scene. This was already the fifth victim, and they were still no closer to finding this killer. How the hell could this mammal be so far ahead of them?

"We should be able to handle things from here, Nick," Stephanie knelt next to him, the ceiling hardly an inch and a half above her ears. "You should head back to the precinct, get a head start on things, or would you rather just head home?"

He licked his lips, his mouth suddenly dry.

"Carrots and Buffalo Butt aren't gonna like me working after what happened earlier," he shivered, and not just from the cold. "But I wouldn't feel right just leaving like this. I've got to see this one through."

He pushed away from the doorjamb, his ears and tail still low as he looked up at her. She nodded.

"I understand that, just don't push yourself too hard, okay?" she put a massive paw on his shoulder. "You're more important to the precinct than you realize."

He managed a weak smile.

"I like to think that, but I'm also trying not to let things get to my head like I used to," he rubbed the back of his neck. "I've heard enough cracks about my ego to last a couple lifetimes."

She chuckled, taking his jacket from the pocket of hers.

"Jenny wanted me to give this back to you," she dropped it on his face. "It looks like you need it."

"Very funny," he dragged it off his head and pulled it on, turning to watch as Abby and Timon continued processing the scene. "You'll tell me whatever else they find here, right?"

"Um, you're in charge of this case, so I'm kind of required to," she flicked him with her tail as he walked past, smirking when he looked up at her in annoyance. "Just trying to lift your spirits a bit, fox, geeze."

He rolled his eyes, straightening his jacket and smoothing down his headfur.

"Thanks for trying, Stripes," he shoved his paws in his pockets. "But it's gonna take a lot more than that…"

He headed off, feeling her worried stare on his back the entire time.

 _I can't let this case keep getting to me like this,_ he thought. _But how the hell am I supposed to stay objective?_

He just hoped he could find out, before it all got even worse.

* * *

Every victim so far had been in a relationship, and that combined with the killer's self-chosen nickname made him believe that was who they'd all been cheating with. Westley's boyfriend, who'd gotten back from a business trip the morning his body had been discovered, hadn't had any idea until Nick had brought it up during his interview. It hadn't taken long to track down Allison's husband, whom she'd been estranged from after less than a year of marriage. The arctic hare buck was older and fairly well-off, which was likely what had drawn her to him in the first place. Next to her vindictiveness, greed had been her biggest vice.

"She wanted an open marriage," the other male explained. They sat across from each other in matching high-backed velvet chairs, a small table with an antique jade and ebony chess set between them. Nick toyed with his rook before deciding to move one of his bishops, putting it in the last empty space around his king. "I refused, but even the threat of divorce wasn't enough to stop her."

He captured one of Nick's pawns with a knight, setting the piece back in its spot in the satin-lined box.

"She always was pretty stubborn," he hesitated before making his next move, using his rook to take out James' queen. "Were there any other problems in your relationship?"

"She loved spending money, but not on what you might think," James nodded toward a closed door. "Her collection's in there, but I could never make any sense of it."

He moved his bishop, putting Nick dangerously close to check. The fox took a few minutes to think, more about what might be behind that door than the game.

"Would you mind if I took a look after this?" he moved his pawn to the last row on James' side, promoting it to get his queen back. He decided to castle on his next turn, if the buck didn't take out his rook first. James shook his head.

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to find out who did this to her," he said. "Just because she made some bad choices doesn't mean she deserved to die, especially that way."

He swiped one of Nick's knights, his eyes darting to the younger male's side, widening when he realized the missed opportunity. Nick castled, his king virtually untouchable now that his queen blocked the only clear path. James scratched his head a moment before sighing, reaching out to lay down his king.

"I must be losing my edge for a tyke like you to stump me that easily."

Nick laughed. The hare was almost twenty years older than him, seventeen more than Allison. He slid off his chair and headed for the door, looking back at him as his paw tightened on the polished brass knob.

"I just hope you're prepared for what you'll see in here, there's a reason I keep it shut," he swallowed, then pushed it open, Nick's mouth gaping when he saw what was inside.

"T-This can't be real…" he could barely make it past the threshold. Hardly an inch of the beige walls could be seen, most of the high, vaulted space taken up by what looked like skins, some hairless and painted with all kinds of ancient designs, others with the former owner's full fur pattern on proud display. James patted his arm.

"Oh, it's real, son," he said. "Every single one of these is a reminder of the Stone Age and before, when we still hunted each other like the animals we are."

Nick couldn't even finish looking around, feeling sick to his stomach as he backed out of the room. Sure, he ate meat like all preds, and knew what life had been like in the past, but seeing it spread across the walls of a modern home, especially a prey one, was just too much to take.

"A-And how long had she been…collecting these?"

James shook his head, shutting the door and locking it.

"I'm honestly not sure, she already had a lot of them when we met, and I wasn't about to ask how she got them," he shuddered. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"You've already been a great help, Mr. Het," Nick offered his paw. "But we may need to speak with you again at some point."

James nodded, shaking it solemnly.

"I understand, and I'll be sure to call if I remember anything else."

They said their goodbyes, and Nick left, his head spinning from what he'd just learned. He'd always thought Allison had been a little too fascinated by his fur, and not just his tail like other mammals were. He'd never once imagined she collected skins, though, even if they were hundreds, if not thousands of years old.

 _Or what if they'd just been made to look that way?_

He didn't even want to try and think about it.

 _Just focus on this case, Wilde,_ he told himself as he turned off the mansion's half-mile front drive. _You can pass_ that _one on to the ZBI later…_

His ears perked when his phone buzzed, he glanced at it while waiting for a green light.

 _'We got more results,'_ Stephanie had texted him. _'I'm emailing them to you now.'_

He thought about heading back to the precinct, then figured he could look them over just as well at home. Judy would likely curl up next to him on the couch, reading along and offering anything she might come up with, and he'd also be close by if she happened to need him. That was how their relationship had always worked, and he hoped that was how it always would be. He just hoped he'd be able to keep his mind on the job.

 _It's been years since you saw any of these mammals,_ he thought. _They probably weren't even the same ones you knew back then, god knows you're not._

He hadn't realized just how much he'd changed until Judy had pointed it out when he'd picked her and their son up from the hospital. He'd spent the rest of that day thinking about it, barely able to recognize the fox who'd looked back at him in the mirror that night. He thought it would've scared him, but everyone he knew seemed to like who he'd become, and he'd decided that he did as well. He just hoped Terry didn't end up going down the same bleak path that he had.

 _He won't,_ he vowed silently. _Not if I can help it._

He pulled into the Factory Lofts parking lot, staying in his seat after shutting off the car. He wanted to get his mind at least a bit sorted out before heading up. Five victims in less than three weeks, and still with just two established connections between them: he'd been involved with them at some point, and they'd all been stepping out on their current partners, even the one he never would have expected it from. Sasha and Westley had both been loyal to him, he hadn't found out about Thomas' or Allison's liaisons until after they'd broken up, and he and Ian had never made things official.

 _What the hell is wrong with this mammal?_

He jumped when his phone went off again, the call once more getting accepted without him doing anything.

 _"I honestly thought you would've found me by now, sweetie,"_ the words were digitally altered as always, and so far they hadn't had any luck isolating the mammal's original voice. _"I haven't exactly been subtle about this!"_

Nick bit back a growl, he wasn't about to let them see that they got to him.

"You've been lucky so far, but it won't last forever," he answered coldly. "And when it finally runs out, you better pray that I don't find you first."

They giggled.

 _"Wow, so testy, it's supposed to be a game, sweetie!"_

"Killing mammals is no kind of game," he snapped. "Now you better tell me, why the hell are you doing this?"

 _"Haven't I already explained that, sweetie?"_ they sounded confused. _"I want to be your new mistress, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen!"_

He scoffed, but the call cut off before he could say anything else. He tried to call the number back, only to find it was already out of service. How the hell did they do that?

"I won't get any answers just sitting here," he rubbed his eyes, shoving his phone and keys in his pocket as he climbed out. The sun had already sunk halfway past the horizon, the temperature slowly falling with it. He locked the car and headed inside, not seeing the shadow lurking in a narrow alley across the street, the wide smile glinting white across their face.

 _Not much longer now, sweetie!_

* * *

 _Pacify Her- Melanie Martinez_


	29. Sunset Desires

Nick hadn't expected to see Finnick when he entered the lobby, and had spent a few minutes catching up with him before heading to his floor. The smaller fox had cut back on his drinking, and was trying to do the same with his smoking, though that was proving to be easier said than done. Nick had given him some tips from when his uncle had quit, saying he'd be there if Fin needed help or just wanted to vent. It had taken him a few minutes to accept, and he'd tacked on one of his 'I'll bite your face off' threats if Nick made any jokes about him getting soft. Nick had just laughed before letting the fennec get back to work.

 _Here's hoping he doesn't relapse this time,_ he thought as he headed upstairs. The elevator had been fixed a few weeks ago, but unless he had a snoozing wife or son to deal with, he avoided the thing like the plague. Now if only that were all he had to worry about.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Nate?" Judy's angry voice came from around the corner. "I'm a married doe!"

A deeper voice, Nate, he guessed, just laughed.

"You and I both know that's not true, Judy," he returned smoothly. "I've never seen you with another buck!"

She groaned, loudly.

"My husband _isn't_ a buck, Nate," she sounded exasperated. "He's a-!"

"Everything okay over here?" Nick stopped behind the buck, tall and muscular with dark gray fur, keeping his left paw tucked partway in his pocket. Nate barely took the time to sneer at him over his shoulder.

"Why don't _you_ go mind your own business, _fox_?" he turned sharply back to Judy. "Can't you see I'm trying to sweep this doe off her feet?"

Nick hid a chuckle at her disgusted scoff, reaching in his collar to pull out his badge.

"The name's Wilde, buddy, Sergeant Wilde," he sidestepped the buck and knelt beside Judy, draping an arm across her shoulders, her rings clinking softly against his when she reached up to take his paw. The playful smirk on his lips faded, his light tone dropping to one that was deadly serious. "And if I _ever_ catch you near my wife again, you and I are gonna have a problem."

He flashed a wide, menacing smile.

"Now get lost, punk!"

Wide-eyed, Nate backed up a step, but he shook it off quickly, turning to glower at her.

"You made a big mistake, Judy," he started coldly. "And when you realize it, you know where to find me."

He turned away and stormed off, never once looking back. When he was gone, Judy slumped against Nick, who picked her up and carried her inside, cradling her in one arm as he shut and locked the door behind them.

"Why didn't you tell me that guy was such a problem, Carrots?" he looked down at her. She shook her head.

"I could've handled him myself, Nick," she crossed her arms, glaring at the wall across from them. "I don't need you to protect me all the time."

He rolled his eyes, sitting down on the couch, locking his arms around her when she tried to slip from his lap.

"It sounded to me like he wouldn't get the message. I know you can protect yourself, sweetheart," he added. "But you need to stop thinking that you have to handle everything on your own. I'm here for you, and I always will be."

She sighed, giving up her fight to escape and leaning against his shoulder.

"I know that, Slick," she said quietly. "I-I'm just scared mammals will start seeing me as a 'weak little cutie' or something."

She growled, her fist tightening in anger.

"And I've worked my whole life against that stereotype!" she thumped his arm. He sighed, rubbing her stomach, noting how it was already flat and firm again, though not nearly as defined as it had been a year before.

"You're not weak, Fluff, even if you are adorable," he licked the top of her head. "And I for one wouldn't change a thing about you."

He ran a claw down her cheek, then tilted her chin to kiss her.

"You've already done so much for the city, you don't have to keep spending every second proving yourself," he nuzzled her forehead. "And no matter what happens, you'll always be the sweet, badass little doe I fell for."

She giggled.

"That's pretty cheesy, Slick," she smoothed a paw through his neck fur. "Even for you."

He chuckled, the sound shifting into a low purr.

"You know you love me," he kissed her again, moaning when she grabbed his collar and deepened it.

"Of course I know that, Nick," the words whispered against his lips. "I always will."

She leaned in for another kiss, two sets of ears perking when Terrance started crying. She sighed, shaking her head.

"I've been so bad with his schedule the last couple weeks," she didn't protest when he picked her up this time, draping her arms around his neck and nuzzling his cheek. "Nate's just been driving me crazy."

He knew it was more than that, knowing she was still fighting against her postpartum, but also that she was getting the help she needed. However difficult it ended up being didn't matter to him, all he cared about was being there for her, just as he'd promised long before they'd even reached the altar.

 _I love this crazy rabbit with everything I have,_ he kissed the top of her head, smiling when she snuggled closer. _And I'm going to make sure she never faces anything alone again._

He opened the door to the nursery, his ears going flat as they were hit full on with the kit's cries. It still amazed him how something so tiny could be so loud.

 _He's definitely Carrots' kid…_

She bounded to the crib when he put her down, picking up their son and gently rocking him as she headed for the window seat. Nick followed, sitting with his back against the wall, Judy cuddling against his chest as she messed with the flap of her nursing tank, smiling when Terry quickly started feeding. This was one of her favorite times of day, she'd told him, getting to gaze out over the glittering, glinting city skyline, wrapped in his arms as she nursed their kit. She shifted closer to him, his paws coming up to rest on her shoulders, rubbing away a tenseness she likely didn't even notice anymore.

"My parents called earlier," she said quietly, sighing happily as the massage continued. He hummed noncommittally.

"I'm glad you're back on good terms with them," he answered softly, as afraid of breaking the mood as she was. "At least somewhat."

She stiffened, wincing slightly when one of his claws caught her skin.

"I don't think things will ever be fully right between us again," she held Terry closer to her, smiling at his low, contented coo as he kept feeding. "They mentioned a reunion was coming up, but considering what happened at the last one I went to, I don't think I'll be going."

"I don't blame you," he gently scratched the base of one ear, making her foot lightly thump. "But a lot of them seem to like me well enough when we're there."

She giggled.

"That's because you're so useful in a bunny community, Slick," she started. "You're taller, you have bigger paws, you're stronger…"

He chuckled when she trailed off, able to feel the heat of her blush as it swept up to the tips of her ears. She cleared her throat.

"You're also pretty nice to look at soaking wet, according to some of my sisters and cousins. I don't see it, though."

"And you married me, anyway," he kissed the top of her head, reaching around to put a paw over hers, still cradling their son. "I'm being serious, though, Fluff. It might help if we went, but nothing would stop me from rubbing how happy we are in some of their faces."

She giggled again.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Slick," she tilted her head back, kissing his chin. "So, how'd it go with Alice?"

He smiled, holding her closer.

"It was nice, I haven't seen her since I was ten," he scratched her ear again, making her churr in contentment. "She was only about six when she and my aunt moved, but I could never figure out what exactly led to it, and she's never tried finding out, either."

She hummed thoughtfully, putting Terry on her shoulder.

"Maybe we could invite her to dinner this weekend," she suggested. "It might help you unwind from the case, and I feel kind of guilty for backing out of that little tour we were supposed to give her."

"There actually wasn't any kind of tour," he revealed. "We drove to the park our parents would take us to as kids, and we ended up just talking there all afternoon."

He tapped Terry's nose when the kit burped, smiling as a pair of tiny paws grabbed his fur, his tail wagging a bit when his son laughed.

"That's already the second time that's happened," Judy said, adjusting her top. "The first time was when you sniffed him while you were savage."

"I know," he helped her off the seat, watching the gentle sway of her hips as she walked to the hall. "I think that's what started to bring me out of it, that and the fact you weren't scared of me."

He got up and followed her, trying not to make it obvious he was still staring at her tail. Not that she minded much when she did notice; she'd told him before how it made her feel better about herself when she saw how much he still wanted her, even with the baby weight.

 _Not that there's much of that left,_ he looked away when she glanced over her shoulder, hoping she couldn't see the blush in his ears past his fur. She giggled, laying Terry in his bassinet by the sofa before coming to stand in front of him.

"I was hoping you could help me with something, officer," she started shyly. "See, there's this fox that keeps following me, and I'm getting a little scared."

She looked up at him, her eyes wide and innocent. He chuckled.

"Would you happen to have a description of this fox, ma'am?" he asked. She ran her paws slowly up his stomach, pushing herself to the balls of her feet to reach his chest.

"Well, he's a red fox," she said. "A little taller than average when he's not slouching. He's also a bit on the bulky side, and starting to go a bit gray around his muzzle."

"I am not!" he protested, making her giggle.

"My mistake," she rubbed his chest. "He is a bit older than me, though, but he doesn't seem to have any trouble keeping up."

He bent down, grabbing her deceptively slim thighs and easily lifting her.

"Is there anything else you can tell me?"

She tapped her chin with a finger, her other paw gripping his shoulder.

"I've seen him in action a few times, and he seems pretty dangerous," she shivered dramatically. "I don't think I'd feel safe being alone with him."

He chuckled darkly, his grip tightening so his claws grazed her skin.

"What if I said you were already alone with him?" he kept his voice low, letting a slight growl slip through. Her ears fell back as she bit her lip.

"I'd say you must be trying to take advantage of me," she draped her arms around his neck. "But I'm not sure I mind it too much…"

She barely brushed her lips against his, then again with slightly more pressure. He cupped the back of her head to put an end to her teasing, lightly nipping at the seam of her mouth until she allowed him access, his tongue slipping past to dance longingly with hers. She moaned into the touch, taking pawfuls of his fur as her legs wrapped around his waist.

"Oh, Nick," she sighed his name, and he could feel the growing heat of her blush as it swept across her skin. She tilted her head back, granting him full access to her neck, and he took every advantage, licking, biting and kissing until her whole body trembled. Clutching at his arms, she pressed herself closer, and he grinned rakishly at the dampness of her spread core against his chest, growling when his next breath was filled with the alluring sweetness of her arousal.

"You really are a perceptive little bun," he brought her down, taking one perked ear in his teeth, nibbling slowly along the outer edge. She shuddered, burying her face in his shoulder, the sharp pain of a bite shooting to his fingers as a muffled shout bled from her lips. He could feel her nose twitching as she rooted through his fur, her chest heaving against his as she tried to catch her breath. He nuzzled the side of her head, delivering cool, soothing licks to her heated fur. His shorts had gotten uncomfortably tight, his knees locking as he fought to keep his legs from giving out beneath him. "Unfortunately for me."

She giggled, delivering a slow kiss to his cheek.

"It's your fault for winding me up, Mr. Wilde," she leaned back, smirking up at him. "That conduct was sorely unbecoming of an officer, what would your boss have to say?"

He rolled his eyes, unable to hold back a chuckle.

"I think he'd say I'm one lucky fox," he kissed her lightly, tapping his nose against hers. "But you're the one who tempted me, sweetheart, so you're not exactly innocent."

A hot, slow smile spread across her lips, her eyes darkening in a way that made his whole coat stand on end.

"I never said I was," she murmured in his ear. "But you're the one who gave in to it…"

She moaned as she licked him, his ear flicking as she nipped the tip. He growled again.

"You're not exactly helping the situation now," he said softly. She nipped him again.

"Guilty as charged, officer," she unhooked her legs from his waist, nudging her foot against the bulge in his shorts. "And I think I know the perfect punishment: impalement."

She kissed him when he opened his mouth to protest, tracing her small tongue along his teeth.

"There's more than one way to do it," she licked her lips. "And as soon as Terry's down for the night, I'll show you exactly what I mean."


	30. Married Hijinks

Nick cried out one last time before falling back, groaning as his breath rasped from his lungs. The sound of swallowing made his ears twitch, and he raised himself to his elbows, seeing Judy still bracing herself against his thighs, her throat contracting around him as her tongue traced along the tip. Finally, she pulled back, her eyes locking with his as she slowly started to lick her muzzle clean. He groaned again, his legs spasming as the last of his orgasm coursed through him, his tongue lolling from the side of his mouth as he panted.

"Y-You are…incredible," he managed, still unable to look away from her. She smiled, staying low as she crawled up his body, her heated skin rubbing against his. She straddled his chest, putting her paws on his shoulders to keep him down, leaning over to languidly kiss him.

"If you think that now," she said softly. "Just wait until you're actually inside me again."

She squeezed him with her legs, biting his lip before kissing him again, her gasp of surprise muffled by his invading tongue as he grabbed her hips and quickly flipped them. She'd been in control for the last hour, and now, it was his turn. He lowered himself as much as he could without crushing her, trapping her slim form between his arms, grinning roguishly at her needy whimper as he brushed her entrance. She stared pleadingly up at him, her nose twitching, brow furrowing in agitation when he shook his head.

"You know I want to, sweetheart," he whispered. "But doctor's orders."

She huffed, crossing her arms.

"He doesn't know what he's talking about," she argued. Her breath hitched, her back arching a bit as she started rubbing her thighs together. "I-I could've taken you a few hours after having Terry…"

He shook his head.

"You know how much bigger I am than a bunny, how Hayworth said we're lucky it works at all. I don't care how much either of us want it," he went on, his fist clenching on the sheets by her head. "If he says we should wait, then I'm going to wait."

He leaned closer, kissing her tenderly, smirking at her little mewl of frustration. She grabbed his cheek fur and deepened the kiss, her little tongue twisting its way around his canines before meeting his, whimpering when he brushed against her again.

"It's not fair," she complained breathily. "A-All the things I've trained myself for, all the things I can handle, and I'm not even allowed to screw my own husband!"

He chuckled, moving in to lick her chest.

"I still know _plenty_ of other ways to get you what you want," he dragged his nose through her fur, nuzzling her shoulder before nipping it lightly, then biting down just hard enough to make her gasp. "What do you say we try some of them?"

She mewled again, wrapping her arms around his neck, rolling her head back as he kept up his ministrations.

"I'd say hell yeah, Mr. Wilde," her eyes gleamed when she looked at him again. "And be sure to make it hurt."

He flashed a dark grin in response, making sure to show her every sharp tooth.

"As you wish, sweetheart," he murmured hotly. "As you wish."

* * *

Judy woke up to the most inviting warmth, sighing happily as she snuggled further into Nick's chest, reveling in how the softness of his fur contrasted with the cords of predatory muscle beneath it. Her sleepy mind wandered back to the night before, her teeth tracing along her lower lip before lightly sinking in.

Her fox really did know plenty of other ways to please her.

She wiggled her hips, her tail shivering and ears standing on end when she felt his dangerous claws on her back, dragging slowly through the fur along her spine. He turned on his back, and she went willingly as he pulled her with him, smiling dreamily down at him. He was always so handsome in the mornings, the early sunlight catching his eyes as it slipped through the curtains, his messy fur making him look just a little bit savage. His large paws swallowed her hips, and she loved how delicate it made her feel. Brushing an ear behind her shoulder, she leaned down and kissed him, giggling when she felt the breeze from his tail as it started to wag.

"I love you," his adoring gaze never failed to make her blush. He grunted a bit as he pushed himself up, holding her in place as he moved in to kiss her. She sighed happily into it, scratching behind his ear when he lifted her, not pulling away until he'd slipped smoothly out of bed. He rubbed his nose against hers, setting her down when he heard Terry start fussing. She grabbed the shirt he'd tossed aside the night before, burying her nose in the scent of him before tugging it on, smirking at him as she let the sleeve slip off her shoulder.

"Why don't you go get the shower started?" her gaze turned sultry. "I'll join you in a few minutes, and show you just how much I love you."

She giggled again when his tail thumped against the bed, and he nearly tripped over himself in his rush to get his clothes together. Shaking her head, she stepped across the hall, gently pushing open the cracked door to their son's room, her smile growing when she bent over his crib to pick him up.

"I love you so much, Terry," she whispered, lightly chinning him. "And I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you never get hurt."

She kissed his forehead, sitting down in her grandmother's rocking chair as she messed with Nick's shirt, sighing in contentment when Terry started eating. She couldn't believe how big he'd already gotten, her joy fading a bit when she started wondering how long she'd be able to hold him, knowing he'd likely be half her height before he was five years old.

 _I don't want to give this up,_ she realized, gasping softly. _I don't ever want him to grow up…_

 _Ugh, there you go again,_ that hated voice spoke up. _Pathetic._

She frowned, holding back a growl.

 _Say what you want,_ she snapped at the shadow in her mind. After what she'd seen Nick go through yesterday, she'd vowed to try harder to fight against it, for all of them. _I'm not going to waste any more of my time listening to you. I love my husband, our son_ and _our life. I'm happier than I ever thought I could be, and I am_ not _going to let you keep trying to ruin it for me._

She imagined the shadow was Nate, smiling as she envisioned slamming a door in his face, like she should have when he'd shown up outside theirs yesterday.

 _Hell, I should've done that when I realized he wasn't getting the 'I'm married' message,_ she fixed the shirt when Terry finished, plucking a tissue from the box on his little dresser and wiping his mouth clean. She laid it on her shoulder to catch any mess as she burped him before heading down the short hall to the bathroom. Nick had left the door unlocked, his uniform folded neatly on the counter. Smirking mischievously, she set their kit in his bouncer, making sure Nick's back was turned before grabbing his tie. She quickly undid it, rolling the black strip of cloth around her paw before tucking it in the drawer on her side of the vanity, then stripped off his shirt and slipped into the streaming shower, wrapping her arms tightly around him from behind.

"T-That voice came up again," she admitted, rubbing her face deeper into his wet, thick fur. "I told it to screw off, hopefully it listens this time."

She felt a small jolt of worry when he took her paws away, her nose twitching when he turned and knelt in front of her. He put a paw on her cheek, taking both of hers in the other.

"You have no idea how happy I am to hear that," he told her. He brushed her damp cheek with the backs of his fingers. "I'm so proud of you, sweetheart."

She threw herself in his arms, pressing her lips to his, feeling his tail curl around her hips as he returned it. She felt him smirk against her mouth a second too late, crying out when he suddenly lifted her, holding her under the torrent of hot water from the shower head. He just laughed at her annoyed glare as he set her down, holding her in place with one paw as he reached for her favorite apple shampoo.

"Might as well get the important stuff out of the way first, right?"

She stuck her tongue out at him, squeaking when he playfully nipped at it.

"Careful there, Carrots," he warned, squeezing a bit too much into his palm. He flipped the bottle and snapped it shut, setting it back on the small shelf before lathering the rest in his paws, leaning in to lick the back of her neck before rubbing the shampoo into her fur. His voice was low and husky, brushing seductively against her ear when he spoke again. "You wouldn't want me to be late because we got too excited now, would you?"

She moaned, using the excuse of him rubbing down her sides to lift her arms, leaning her head back as she draped them around his neck.

"It's not my fault you're so much better at this than I am," she nuzzled into his cheek, sighing happily when he moved to her chest, then her stomach. She shuddered a bit when he grabbed her tail, tracing his claws slowly through the wet tuft before moving down to cup her rear. She grabbed his cheek, shifting just enough to catch his lips again, whimpering into the kiss when he brushed against her entrance. Her fingers twitched in his fur as he started on her legs, and she answered him eagerly when his tongue slipped out to brush her lips. He picked her up as he ended it, holding her back under the water so she could rinse herself off.

She remembered the film she'd caught him watching a few days after he'd brought her and Terry home, when a well-built, and endowed, vulpine had done the same with his slender lapin lover. She copied the other doe's actions, closing her eyes as she put her head back, running her paws slowly down her ears, her lips parted just enough for him to see the pink of her tongue.

Only to gag when she got shampoo in her mouth.

"Ugh, how do those mammals _do_ that?" she let her mouth fill with water and swished it around, turning to the side to spit it out, pouting at him when she saw he was laughing. "Oh, hush, I'd like to see you do it!"

She finished rinsing off, flicking water at him whenever he chuckled. He set her down, then grabbed his towel and stepped out, mirroring her disappointed look.

"Trust me, I'd love to stay in there with you, Carrots," he started to rub himself down, since their fur dryer took almost ten minutes to do the job on its own. "But the Chief wanted me in early today, and I'll be cutting it close enough as it is."

He flipped the switch for the fur dryer, still using the towel to further cut down on the time. She washed out her conditioner and shut the water off, smiling up at him when he stepped aside and started getting dressed. He smirked back, pulling out her drawer and grabbing his tie.

"You'll have to try harder than that to trick me, sweetheart," he looped it around his neck, kneeling again when she walked over to him, pecking her forehead as she did it up for him. She kissed him one last time before letting him go, his tail brushing across the backs of her thighs as he got to his feet.

"I'll text Alice about dinner this weekend," he pulled the door open, then paused. "You don't mind if I invite Fin too, do you?"

She shook her head.

"That sounds like a great idea, Slick," she shivered, and not just from the draft that slipped in from the hall. "I just hope we don't have to deal with _him_ again."

He scowled.

"If we do, I'll arrest him for any charge I can," he looked worried. "You sure you'll be okay today? I can call someone to-"

"No, Nick," she shook her head again, walking to him and putting her paws on his chest. "Like you said, you're cutting it close enough as it is, and I can text someone later if I feel like I need to. You just worry about work for now, okay?"

He still didn't seem too assured, but sighed and nodded.

"Okay, but I want you to call me if something _does_ end up happening. I need to know you're safe."

"Of course I will, Nick," she reached for his muzzle. "Now come down here for a sec."

He bent over, smiling a bit when she chinned him. He marked her as well, then licked between her ears.

"I'll see you tonight," he said, then headed out. She just watched him leave, once again thinking how lucky she was.


	31. Peace of Mind

The bullpen was unusually quiet when he walked in, his ears falling back when he saw everyone's downtrodden looks.

"What happened?" he climbed on his seat, feeling worse when he realized Tony and Allan weren't in theirs. Jeremy rubbed the back of his neck.

"The Chief was…in an accident this morning," he explained. "He and Al were carpooling and…his brakes gave out. Tony went to look after his daughter."

"Oh god…" Nick wasn't sure what to think. He barely could! "Are they…"

"Chief's got a busted arm and some broken ribs. Al, though…" Jeremy shook his head. "Last I heard, he was in a coma. He slipped out of his seatbelt and got thrown against the windshield."

Stephanie gasped, putting a paw to her mouth.

"What did they hit?"

Jeremy sighed.

"They were going down that huge hill on the edge of Savanna Central," he explained. "The Chief ended up swerving into Jumbeaux's Café. From what I've heard, they're the only ones who were hurt."

He shook his head.

"Jared and Erik went to scope out the scene," he went on. "And Lance and Francine are talking to anyone who might've witnessed it."

Nick slumped down against the back of his seat, staring at nothing while he tried to process the news. But then, something hit him.

"Wait a second," he jumped to his feet. "What time did this happen?"

Jeremy blinked.

"Uh, about five, why?"

Nick pulled out his phone.

"Because I got a message from the Chief then," he said. "But I didn't hear it until about fifteen after, he wanted me to come in early today."

His stomach sank further when the lion's jaw dropped.

"It couldn't have been from the Chief, then, Nick," he started. "That's almost the exact minute they crashed, and you know he'd never use it while driving."

Nick felt his heart leap into his throat.

"Then, who…" he stared down at his phone, then hit the speed dial for Judy's number. She picked up on the first ring.

 _"_ _Hey, Slick, I just heard from Tony,"_ she paused, swallowing audibly. _"I-I can't believe it…"_

"I can't, either, but that's not why I'm calling," he barely kept himself calm. "I need you to get whatever you need for Terry and yourself, and get out of the loft, _now._ "

 _"_ _What?"_ she sounded confused now, worried. _"Nick, what are you-"_

"I'll explain later, Fluff," he cut her off. "Just, please, do this, and find a public place to wait for me, it's important."

She hesitated, but just for a second.

 _"_ _O-Okay, Nick,_ " she swallowed again. _"I don't understand, but I'll do it."_

"Thank you," he let out a small sigh of relief. "Text me when you get there, I'll get you as soon as I can."

 _"_ _Right,"_ she sounded determined now. _"Guess I'll see you soon, then."_

"Yeah," his tail swished in agitation. "See you soon, sweetheart."

He waited for her to hang up, then put his phone away, looking up to see most of the room staring at him.

"That message I got wasn't from Bogo," he said simply. "I just want to make sure whoever _did_ send it doesn't get to her, or our son."

He started to get off the chair, stopping when Jeremy cleared his throat.

"There's probably a connection between that message and the accident. You didn't erase it, did you?"

"Of course not," Nick took out his phone again and went to his voicemail, turning the volume to the max before playing the message.

 _"_ _Wilde, I need you to come in, ASAP, there's been a break in your case._ "

The voice was clearly Bogo's, the order just as blunt as any others he'd given, but hearing it now, blasted and without being preoccupied, he couldn't help but think there was something off about it.

"Anyone else think that sounds kind of wrong?" he turned to the room. Stephanie nodded.

"Almost like it was cut together, we'd have to send it to the lab to be sure, though."

She jumped when Nick's ringtone blared out, the fox quickly turning it back down.

"I'll do that after I pick up Carrots and pipsqueak," he jumped to the floor. "I have to make sure they're safe first."

* * *

Judy was waiting in front of the park across from Savory Leaves, munching on one half of a wolf-sized blueberry fritter from the Sugar Hollow truck Liam and his wife had set up half a block up the street. She sat back on the fox-sized bench cut into the park's wall, Terry settled in the carrier in her lap. Nick sat down heavily next to her, pulling off his aviators and rubbing his eyes.

"So," she swallowed the last bite, pushing the box with the other half toward him. "Are you going to tell me what that call was all about?"

He looked blankly up at her as he reached out to take the pastry, with its glossy dark blue-violet filling and perfectly golden glazed and crispy crust, his paw stopping halfway to his mouth, just close enough to breathe in the warm, welcoming scent of it.

A scent that quickly turned sour as his stomach clenched and twisted, his paw visibly trembling as his fingers tightened on it, his claws sinking in as he set it back down, having to fight with himself to not just slam his fist on the bench.

"I'll explain everything when we get back to the precinct," he forced calm into his voice again, hating how tight it still sounded. "I don't want to worry anyone I don't have to."

He got up, grabbing the backpack and diaper bag waiting on the seat next to her, his tail twitching behind him as she quickly closed the pink cardboard box. She followed him to the car parked by the curb, climbing in the backseat as he dropped her bags in the trunk, pressing his paws to the edge after he closed it, shoving out a hard breath to try and get himself back under control. The last thing he wanted was to scare her more, when she'd ask questions he didn't have answers to, a fact that disturbed him as much as the events that had led up to this.

"Does this have something to do with why the Chief wanted you in early today?" she looked at him in the rearview mirror. He ignored her for now, wanting to keep his fraying focus intact for the short drive back. She settled for keeping an eye on their son, settled in his carseat, his soft whimpers a sign he was starting to pick up on the tension that filled the air.

"Let's get you two inside," he pulled into his spot in the underground parking garage, pausing in taking off his seatbelt when she gripped his shoulder.

"I'm not getting out of this car until you tell me what's going on," she sat back, crossing her arms. "What's going on, Nick, and why are you being so secretive about it?"

He looked at her over his shoulder, silently pleading with her. It wouldn't take much to force her out, but he knew from experience that it would just make things worse, and they didn't have the time to waste on a petty power play.

"Fine," he almost spat the word, his eyes hardening to cool chips of emerald. "In short, that voicemail was fake, and whoever sent it wanted me out of the way so they could kidnap you, likely both of you. I wasn't about to risk that happening."

"Now, was that so hard?" she unbuckled herself and Terry, climbing out and kicking the door lightly shut behind her. She bounced their son lightly in her arms, her foot starting to thump as she looked up at him. "I don't like being kept in the dark, Nick, you know that, and you don't have to keep acting like I insulted you for wanting answers I have every right to know."

He winced, then sighed.

"I know, and I'm sorry, Judy," he rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm just really on edge about this."

He bent down, brushing his lips between her ears.

"You two are the most important things in my life, and I wouldn't hesitate to give it, if it meant saving you."

She cupped the paw he'd put on her cheek.

"I feel the same way," her soft smile faded. "I just hope neither of us ever have to make that choice."

"You and me both, sweetheart," he kissed her head again, then went to grab her two bags from the trunk. "Come on, I have to drop my phone at the lab, and Stripes is organizing a safe house for us, just in case they find something in the loft."

* * *

"Do you really think someone bugged the place?" Judy reclined on an oversized couch in the break room, curled up in Nick's jacket as she nursed their kit. The agitated fox stopped in his pacing, running his paws through his headfur, longer than usual since he hadn't had time to get it trimmed, and tugging sharply on his splayed ears.

"It's looking more and more likely," he climbed up next to her, putting a tense arm around her shoulders. "It would explain a lot, honestly."

He nuzzled the corner of her ear, and she bit her lip as he dragged in a long breath. She knew he was just trying to calm himself down, but it didn't stop the heat that started pooling from the rush of air across some of her most sensitive skin. She leaned against him, moving the jacket just enough for him to see their son, his tiny paws grasping reflexively at her pink flannel shirt, the same one she'd worn the day she and Nick had finally cracked the Night Howler case.

"But if something does end up being there, how did we miss it?" she played with the collar of his jacket, tracing the small carrot pin on it. She'd given it to him the day he'd graduated, and she couldn't help the swell of pride in her chest whenever she saw it.

"Because we weren't looking for it, and now I'm wondering why we weren't," he rubbed his eyes, then pinched the bridge of his muzzle. "Can't believe I never thought of that…"

She put a paw over his, squeezing it comfortingly. She always hated seeing him like this.

"Nick, it's been years since you told me all that," she was referring to his past relationships, he hadn't felt comfortable discussing all that at the hospital. "I doubt we would've missed any kind of bug for that long, no matter how well they were hidden."

She let go of his paw when Terry finished, gently wiping his mouth with a piece of tissue from the box on Ben's desk, he'd cut up a couple for her since she'd forgotten to grab one of her travel packs when she'd left. She passed their kit to Nick, then buttoned her shirt.

"I changed him just before we left, so he should be good for a while," she kissed his cheek. "I'm just going to hit the bathroom real quick, I'll be right back."

She kissed him again and hopped down, looking back over her shoulder before heading into the hall. Nick had already burped him and was now smiling down at him, tucked protectively in the crook of his arm. As loving as the look was, it was hard to miss the exhaustion that filled his eyes, the tension still obvious in his shoulders and puffed tail, the dark tip twitching restlessly against the edge of the couch.

 _The timing of all this is just too neat,_ she thought. The bathrooms for this floor were right down the hall, just after the closet Nick had been locked in. It hadn't exactly been a secret when Terry was born, in fact she'd spent most of her pregnancy being bombarded by questions. How did she feel about her kit being half predator? Was she worried they might end up handicapped in some way? Would a stillbirth mean the end of her marriage?

 _My marriage…_

Now that was a different story entirely. Even before she and Nick had gone public with their relationship, hell, before it had even really started, there'd been mammals asking for their newspapers, networks or blogs. What were her thoughts about the video of her then husband attempting to kill her partner? Were the rumors regarding her and Nick's affair true? Had her own family really blackmailed her into marrying Darwin Fields?

 _And let's not forget the miscarriage and tape worms…_

She hopped up on the far-too-big toilet, pulling down her jean skirt and leggings, laying a tender paw on her stomach. She wasn't sure how that information had gotten out, but for weeks there hadn't been any end to those questions either. Had Darwin known the aspirin contained tapeworm eggs? Had anyone in her family been aware of the pregnancy? Had she caused the miscarriage on purpose as some kind of payback for their actions?

She still couldn't believe they'd asked some of that, how could they even have thought it? Her first pregnancy was the only thing she hadn't blamed Darwin for, especially once it had come out that the bottle had been one of hundreds in the country that had been tampered with. Though exactly why had never been released to the public, and by the time she'd had the authority to open the files regarding the case, she'd long decided they wouldn't be worth looking at. She and Darwin had both drank more than they should have that night, neither of them had been thinking clearly when they'd stripped and stumbled into bed together. She'd kept forgetting to get her birth control prescription refilled. The last thing she'd wanted was kits at the time, and had she found out before the miscarriage, she would've convinced him to either let her abort or put them up for adoption.

 _I doubt he would've gone either way, though,_ she finished up in the stall and hit the sinks, staring at herself in the mirror as she took more time than usual to wash her paws. Sure, his name had popped into her head once in a while, but she couldn't remember the last time she'd actually thought about him, at least for more than a few seconds. _He likely would've made me transfer to a desk job, if not quit entirely._

She shook the thought away, shutting off the water and tearing off the bottom edge of a paper towel, since trying to use the paw dryer usually ended up with her looking like she'd gotten stuck on a subway vent. And as much as she felt Nick needed the laugh right now, she didn't really want to spend the next half hour getting her fur to lay flat again.

She wasn't surprised to see him already asleep when she got back, propped against the arm of the couch with Terry curled up in his lap. Smiling fondly and trying her best not to wake them, she made her way up and settled in next to her fox, carefully lifting his arm to wrap it around her shoulders. Snuggling closer to his side, she brushed a paw over their son's forehead, sighing in contentment as she let herself drift off. In that moment, it didn't matter how crazy and dark the rest of the world was, she was exactly where she wanted to be.


	32. Shatter Me

Nick was jolted awake by a loud, piercing squeal, his head snapping toward the source of the sound. Ben was bouncing excitedly in the doorway, paws pressed to his cheeks with that wide, crazy smile of his plastered to his face.

"O…M…Goodness!" he squealed again. "You three are just…"

"Don't say it," Nick warned, feeling Judy start to shift against him. A glance down told him their kit was still out cold. He really could sleep through anything.

 _Just like his grandmother…_

"So freaking _adorable!_ " Ben finished, nearly biting his fingers with how close they were to his mouth. Nick rolled his eyes, settling back against the arm of the couch, one ear flicking to the side when Judy giggled.

"That says a lot, coming from you, Ben," she sat up, moaning happily as she stretched her arms above her head. She stood, kissing his cheek before taking Terry, the tiny boy whimpering as he started waking up. "What's going on?"

"Oh, right!" Ben glanced down the hall before coming inside, shutting the door behind him. The ecstatic look on his face had also dropped completely away. "T-The Chief just called me, asking if there'd been any progress in finding out why his brakes failed."

Nick sat up straight, his tail wrapping subconsciously around Judy's ankles. He watched from the corner of his eye as she held Terry closer to her chest, her ears falling back as her eyes grew wide with worry.

"What did they find?"

Ben played with his fingers before swallowing, pulling a wooden rod from his pocket and chewing on it.

"H-His brake lines were cut, and the fluid had been drained, but that's not the worst of it."

Nick's jaw tightened, the cheetah going on before he had a chance to ask.

"T-The tech also said the lines were frayed, so it's likely whoever cut them did it so the brakes could be used a few times before they snapped, and the receptacle for the fluid had a hole in it, so small they almost missed it."

Nick sat back, rubbing his chin.

"That explains how they managed to get as far as they did," he started. "There's eight traffic lights and several stop signs between the Chief's condo and here, then there's the ones he'd have to pass to get to Tails' complex, or wherever they met up this morning."

His tail twitched, Judy put a paw on his arm.

"Have you heard anything about Bogo or Allan?" she asked. "How are they doing?"

"Oh, the Chief's fine," Ben nibbled on the rod again, his ring glinting in the overhead lights. "Erin dropped him at home an hour or so ago. Al, though…"

He sighed, his paw dropping as he shook his head.

"He fractured his skull and neck in a few places, and they found some swelling in his brain," he swallowed again. "They're keeping him in the coma until it goes down a bit."

Nick felt some of the tension leave him, putting a paw on his bunny's shoulder as she sagged against him.

"Thank god it's not more serious," she shivered. "W-What the heck's going on here?"

"I wish I knew," Ben shrugged, going to the sink and grabbing a paper towel, wrapping the chew rod in it before tucking it back in his pocket. "You think it might have something to do with all these murders the last couple weeks?"

"I doubt it's just a coincidence," Nick stood, squeezing Judy's shoulder before letting go, sliding to the floor. He straightened from his crouch and crossed his arms. "It's too neat."

He went stiff when his phone rang, and he stared down at the case on his hip, a growl already rising in his throat when it accepted the call on its own.

 _"_ _You should know by now that just changing your number's not enough to stop me, sweetie,"_ that garbled voice giggled on speaker. _"I always have a way to find you!"_

Nick scoffed, glancing over his shoulder at Judy. It was the first time she'd heard one of these calls, and she looked absolutely terrified.

"You never call just to gloat," he snatched his phone from the case, holding it as far from him as possible, as though doing so would keep the mammal on the other end of the line at bay. "What's your reason this time?"

 _"_ _Oh still so abrupt, you're no fun at all,"_ the mocking pout was clear in their voice, then they sighed. _"Fine, I just called to say you've got another scene, sweetie, and I don't want to wait until someone else finds it."_

Nick's fist tightened, his claws starting to scrape across the screen.

"Who did you kill this time?" he demanded. "Tell me!"

They giggled again.

 _"_ _You'll have to go to the Nocturnal District to find that out, sweetie,"_ they said. _"And then all you have to do is take a peek behind Gin Oaks! Have fun!"_

"Hold it!" he was barely holding on to his temper. There was just a short pause before the mammal hung up, and he jammed his arm down against his side to keep from chucking his phone at the wall. Even the soft touch of a small paw on his wrist wasn't enough to calm him, Judy drawing back from him when his boiling gaze snapped down to her. It took seeing the fear on her face, the way she held their crying son protectively to her chest, hiding the kit as best she could for him to finally force the rage down, shoving out a heavy sigh as he crammed his phone in its case on his belt. He dropped to his knees, breathing heavily, feeling his lips twitch as he tried not to snarl.

"I-I'm sorry, sweetheart," he muttered, grinding the heels of his paws into his eyes before dragging them slowly down his face. "I-I didn't mean to scare you, either of you."

He felt tears starting to well, pain, fear and frustration roiling in his gut to replace the anger he'd pushed so much deeper. He saw her feet as she walked toward him, felt her paw on his chin as she tipped his head back, smelled the warm, sweet earthiness of her scent as she leaned closer to him, pressing her lips softly to his. He was hesitant to return the kiss, his arms lifting of their own accord to wrap tenderly around her. A low chuckle slipped from him when he felt Terry start to squirm against his chest. Ending the comforting kiss, he found himself gazing deeply into her eyes, his heart pounding faster when he saw the fear drain away, replaced with the determination and fire that had captured him so long ago.

"I love you, Nick," she murmured, her breath wafting across his muzzle. "And I swore I'd always be there for you, no matter what."

He responded eagerly when she kissed him this time, wrapping his tail around her as he pulled her closer.

"I love you, too, Judy," he nuzzled her nose with his, then leaned down to brush his lips across their kit's forehead. "Daddy's gonna make the world a better place for you, Terry, I promise."

He lightly marked them both, letting Judy do the same before getting back to his feet, gripping her paw firmly.

"I want you to stay here for now, alright, Carrots?" he asked. "I need to know you two are safe."

She smiled up at him, then nodded.

"Of course I will, Slick," she assured him, then smirked. "I might even sneak in some case work since Bogo's not here to stop me."

He chuckled.

"That's my bunny," he kissed her one last time. "I'll be back as soon as I can, then we'll figure out our next move in this mess."

He headed out, motioning for a stunned Clawhauser to follow him. It was time to get another team, one he swore wouldn't fall victim to this mammal's twisted plans, not this time.

* * *

The Nocturnal District was the only biome in the city not confined to its own area. Instead, it circled through the outer districts, utilizing the caves of the Canyonlands and Tundra Town, as well as a series of large hills that made up the northern border of the Meadowlands. Gin Oaks Liquor was backed against the city's main wall, a ten-foot wide alleyway all that separated the line of shops and apartment buildings from the extension that blocked access to Zootopia's subterranean river.

"I don't see anything yet," Yamal shone his flashlight around, his other paw hovering near the butt of his taser. The light over the back door wasn't working, and he had never been a fan of the dark. His ears perked when he caught sight of something, a gleam of metal. "Wait, I think I got something!"

He waved Nick and Jeremy over, pointing to a scrap of metal embedded in a patch of grime on the wall of the store, about to lean in for a closer look when Nick stopped him.

"Hold up, I think I've seen this before," he pulled his old scout neckerchief from his pocket, wrapping it around his paw to keep from getting cut on the jagged edges, and slowly worked it loose, holding his own light on it as he carefully examined it. It wasn't long before his tail puffed, his ears going flat against his head.

"T-This is part of a plaque I made," he said, his low voice haunted. "Years ago, f-for Keith…"

"Another old boyfriend, I'm guessing?" Jeremy came up behind him. He nodded.

"Y-Yeah, we were engaged," his tail went limp against the damp, filthy ground. "He worked for some kind of talent agency, and this was for him making it to Vice Pres."

His fist tightened around the tarnished silver.

"But the night I was supposed to give it to him," his jaw clenched as he recalled the bitter memory. "I-I found him in bed with another guy, a sun bear who was hoping to make it as a model."

Jeremy and Yamal winced, the dingo breathing sharply through his teeth.

"That's pretty rough," he rubbed the back of his neck, then looked almost startled. "Wait, did you say sun bear?"

Nick rolled his eyes.

"He wasn't related to Dunlap, if that's what you're thinking," he said. "His name was Peter Chase, and he was about as dark as they can get. Last I heard, he was working in some fast food place because he never bothered to finish high school."

He walked away to search the other end of the alley, not wanting to dwell on the past any more than he had to. It had already been way too long.

 _We have to find this mammal soon,_ he thought. _I don't want to see anyone else-_

It cut off as he tripped on a loose brick, every inch of fur standing on end when he landed in something cold, clumpy and wet.

"Oh, shit," he scrambled back, breathing heavily through his mouth, but even then couldn't escape from the smell.

"You alright, Nick?" Jeremy shone his light on the fox, his jaw dropping when he saw what coated the front of his friend's uniform.

"My god…" he stepped back, moving his flashlight to where Nick had landed, unable to hold back his terrified gasp when he saw a white-furred arm protruding from a torn black tarp, half-coagulated blood pooling around the severed wrist.

"Looks like we won't be guessing cause of death for this one," Yamal let his arm fall to his side, his face twisted like he was trying not to throw up. "I-I'm gonna go, uh, go call this in…"

He took off, and it wasn't long before they heard dry-heaving. Jeremy winced.

"That happened with my first body, too," he turned back to the scene, then glanced at Nick. "You sure you'll be able to handle checking this out until the CSI geeks get here?"

Nick nodded.

"I want to make sure we don't miss anything," he went to the wall, sticking the silver shard back into the grimy spot where he'd found it. "I want this psycho caught."

He couldn't keep the anger from his voice. Jeremy put a careful paw on his shoulder.

"We all do, Nick, trust me," he pulled away. "But I really think you should-"

"We already went over this, Delgato," Nick cut him off. "I told all of you that our little serial killer tapped into Bogo's office phone, telling us themselves that they had another list of victims in mind if I didn't head this case."

Jeremy knelt down to get a closer look at a pair of trash cans.

"You know they were probably just bluffing."

" _Probably_ being the key word here, Jer," Nick went back to the body, keeping the neckerchief wrapped around his paw as he carefully peeled back the tarp. "And as reckless as I might be, that's not a risk I'm willing to take."

This was the first body that hadn't been bound, though he'd still been completely stripped. Keith Yates was a raccoon dog with a rare solid white coat, instead of the mottled brown and gray his species usually had. He was overly bulky for a male of his species, with a large gut that spoke of years of steroid abuse. Both paws had been cut cleanly off.

"We're definitely looking for someone with medical knowledge," Nick shivered. He'd almost forgotten about his ruined uniform, and the cool air that was circulated through the cave system wasn't helping. He let go of the tarp and stepped toward the opening between Gin Oaks and the cheap Korean place next door, breathing through his mouth again to try and cut down on the smell that clung to him.

"I'm gonna get changed, I can't take much more of this."

 _'Somebody shine a light, I'm frozen by the fear in me'_

 _'Somebody make me feel alive and shatter me'_

 _'So cut me from the line, dizzy, spinning endlessly'_

Jeremy blushed, looking down to see an old tiger-sized walkman under his foot, propped up on a small pile of junk in such a way that backing against it would cause a piece of wood to hit play. Like every other song so far, it was sped up, and it didn't take him long to see the envelope sticking out behind the machine.

"Found the note," he plucked it free and passed it to Nick, who didn't hesitate to open it.

 _'Took a while with this one, sweetie, but I did it!'_

"Ugh," he looked away, giving it back. "I can't really think right now, I have to get out of this."

He hurried to his cruiser, fumbling with his keys for a moment before unlocking it. He jumped inside, slamming the door shut behind him.

 _'If I break the glass than I'll have to fly'_

 _'There's no one to catch me if I take a dive'_

 _'I'm scared of changing, the days stay the same'_

He turned back to the alley, his nose wrinkling as he took in the scents again: garbage and blood, mixed into the general dampness that came with being so close to the river. It was obvious Kieth had been killed here, and at this time of year the water was lower, quieter than when the runoff came flooding in from the mountains not far up north. The whole district was outfitted with night vision cameras, and this area in particular had heavy foot traffic, someone must have seen something!

"Hey, Yamal," he went around front, seeing the dingo sitting on an over-sized bench by the sidewalk, his head down between his knees. The kid had three years under his belt, but most of that had been spent patrolling and breaking up fights in Sahara Square, the most peaceful part of the city behind the Meadowlands. The worst he'd seen had likely been a blow to the head from a beer bottle during a drunken fight, or a broken leg or hip from an elder mammal taking a fall. Nothing compared to that grisly bloodbath.

"God, what is wrong with me?" Yamal dragged his paws through his hair, then tugged at his ears. "N-Nick was freaking _engaged_ to that guy—hell, he even fell in his blood!—and he's _still_ handling this whole mess better than I am."

Jeremy sighed, sitting next to him.

"He's also got more experience with this kind of thing," he offered. "He's been working homicide for almost five years, and he spent a long time on the streets before that. He's seen sides of the city most of us couldn't even dream of, and I'm sure a lot of it was way worse than this."

Yamal just stared up at him, then sighed, hopping off the bench and straightening his uniform.

"I'm gonna see if the camera back there caught anything, though considering our luck with that so far, I'm not too confident."

"Doesn't hurt to check, and it's kinda procedure, anyway," his light smirk faded when he looked at Nick's car, seeing the fox slumped over the steering wheel. He growled low in his throat. "We better find this psycho soon, I don't know how much longer Nick can last."

Yamal sighed again, then slowly shook his head.

"Now if only that weren't so much easier said than done."

* * *

 _Shatter Me- Lindsey Stirling, featuring Lzzy Hale_


	33. Boardroom

"So, I finished tracing the signals from those weird calls," Stephanie slipped into the conference room, her tail stilling its idle wave when she saw the scowl on Nick's face. He was staring at the crime scene photos again, though the glaze in his eyes told her he wasn't really seeing anything. She knocked on the doorframe, cringing when he almost fell off the chair he'd been standing on. "Shouldn't you take a break, Nick? You're not looking so good."

He scoffed, straightening himself out.

"I'll take a break when we find this bastard," his tone was that flat, cold one that was somehow worse than his anger. "What did you find on those phone signals?"

She watched him a moment before answering, taking in his rigid posture and puffed tail, barely able to face the darkness that had crept into his eyes.

"Uh, right," she cleared her throat. "Like I thought, it's a dead end."

She came over and set the folder of reports on the table, stepping back when he all but snatched it from under her paw. It had been years since she'd seen him like this, and it unnerved her even more now than it had then.

"Black market burner phones," he slammed the file shut. "I should've known."

She nodded. It was more common than most mammals thought it was, older models rebuilt from scratch to be virtually untraceable once the number they'd been programed with was used, the most they could do was follow the signal to the cell tower that had picked it up. Anything besides that, unless they wasted precious time tracking down the ones who'd made them, was pretty much impossible.

"And our last few victims were all drugged with cough syrup, too," she went on, carefully sliding the file back toward her. "All different brands, though. I just don't get it, how can they still be so many steps ahead of us?"

He shoved out a breath.

"It's obvious they've been planning this for a while, years probably," he turned to stare at the photos again. "And like everything else, I doubt the timing was just a coincidence."

That was the only thing that made sense about this case. The killer had somehow known about Judy's postpartum, and going by what had happened so far, likely hoped that Nick being kept away by a string of bodies, combined with the bunny's own insistence that she face the depression on her own, would cause a rift between them. It'd seemed to have worked at first, but like everything else, they'd decided they couldn't keep fighting alone, and their relationship had been stronger than ever since.

"So, what's our next move?" she sat down next to him, leaning forward to look over the pictures herself. As seasoned as she was, some of them were still enough to make her queasy.

"Honestly? I have no idea," he swept them neatly up and set the stack aside, pulling out his phone and tapping out some quick texts. "But for now, I'm gonna see what my sources on the streets can tell me."

Many of his 'sources' were mammals he or Judy had arrested over the years, including Duke Weaselton, and his old pal Finnick. While several of them had gone at least mostly legit, there were a few who were too deeply ensnared in the criminal underworld, and as long as they kept their crimes to misdemeanors and below, they were granted immunity if they agreed to become informants. The arrangement had worked out well so far, leading to several big arrests that otherwise might not have happened.

"You really think we'll get something from them?" she sat back, digging her paw under her collar to scratch at a group of bug bites on her shoulder. That was what she got for volunteering for a raid on a gang hideout in the Rainforest District, though how they'd managed to get under her kevlar vest and shirt she had no idea.

"It's worth a shot," Nick replied flatly. "We've exhausted almost all our options by this point, but I'm not about to drag Mr. Big into this mess."

The old shrew was getting on in years, and had recently been diagnosed with an arrhythmia, the last thing he and his family needed was that kind of stress on top of it. Besides, the less they interacted with them, the less likely they'd be targeted by this psycho. Stephanie rubbed the back of her neck, wondering what else there was to say.

"Oh, I just remembered I had something else to tell you," she started. "They finished searching your loft, inside and out, and they didn't find a thing."

Nick sighed heavily.

"Well, that's one bit of good news, at least," he picked up his phone again and tapped out another text, likely telling Judy their home was clear. "But then that just leads to more questions. How the hell did this mammal get the info they have? My past relationships aren't exactly something I bring up often. This is actually the most I've thought about any of them in years."

She shrugged.

"We should've looked into this first," she admitted, somewhat sheepishly. "But who have you told about all of them?"

"My mom, Judy and Fin," he stated. "And none of them would even think of doing something like this."

His voice hardened further, his fist tightening where it laid on the tabletop.

"My mom's also got a broken hip," he went on. "And I was with Judy pretty much every time one of the murders was happening. Fin wouldn't have been able to handle most of the victims, and he wouldn't have any reason to pull this, anyway."

She nodded.

"And I can't see any of them calling themselves your mistress," she said. "I mean, they're your mom, wife and basically your brother, it wouldn't make any sense."

Not that much of this case made sense, anyway, at least to someone who wasn't missing some of their marbles. She scratched at the bites again, before growling at herself in annoyance and shoving her paws beneath her.

"I hate mosquitos," she complained quietly. "And really any bug that sucks blood. Who said they were allowed to evolve in the first place?"

Nick chuckled a bit.

"If I ever find out, I'll let you know," he shook his head. "But back to the matter at paw. I don't have too many exes left, and I have a feeling that's not gonna be the end of it."

"Because just taking care of them wouldn't make this mammal your 'mistress'," she couldn't help but shudder. "But, what are you gonna do if it does come to that?"

He shrugged.

"Go along with it for as long as I need to," there was no hesitation. "It'll make me completely sick, but I'll be able to find a weak spot, one I can use to _take them_ _down_."

He snarled, pounding his fist on the table. She gulped, nearly giving herself whiplash when she turned toward the door. Tony had peeked in, looking just a bit guilty.

"Feeling a little jumpy there, Stripes?" he chuckled, coming the rest of the way in. "Anyway, I just came to get Nick, that weird cousin of his is in the lobby again."

Nick barely looked up, ears pressed flat against his head, his fur bristled.

"She just hates phones for some reason," he hopped off the chair, visibly forcing himself to chill. "I'll go see what she wants."

He headed out, the two tigers watching him before facing each other.

"You know what he's gonna end up doing, right?" Tony spoke first. "If he gets his paws on this mammal first, there won't be anything left."

"I know, but is that really such a bad thing?" Stephanie asked. "They'd likely end up getting the death penalty anyway, or at least life in prison. At least him taking them out would be cheaper."

He stared at her.

"You're cold sometimes, you know that?" he shook his head at the bad joke. "Still, can't say I don't agree with you. It wouldn't really help anyone to keep them alive, but we also can't just let him kill them."

She growled in frustration, dropping in the chair Nick had occupied, burying her face in her paws.

"We've done just about everything we can to try and catch this guy," she started. "We can't trace their calls, their known supplies can be picked up anywhere by pretty much anyone, and almost all the mammals left on the victims list either won't listen to us or are already out of dodge."

"And we already know Judy won't listen if Nick tells her to leave," he leaned against the table, crossing his arms. "She'll just spend so much time arguing the point that she'll keep missing the trains out, or pull some kind of stunt to avoid getting on them."

"I don't think she'd really be any safer anywhere else," she scratched at the bites again. "I think pretty much the whole planet knows who she and Nick are by now."

He chuckled a bit.

"Wouldn't surprise me. It'd be enough if they were just the first cops of their species," he added. "But they also became a, not just inter-species, but predator and prey couple _and_ managed to have their own kid without some kind of medical procedure getting involved."

He laughed again, shaking his head.

"Honestly, if one of them just suddenly sprouted wings or something, I don't think I'd look twice."

She rolled her eyes, jabbing him lightly in the side. They'd been close friends since they'd met, and he was just as much a cub now as he was then. Still, she had to admit he was right, Nick and Judy were some extraordinary mammals, and she doubted it was about to stop any time soon.

"So, any other ideas for how we're supposed to move forward?" she leaned over the table and propped her chin in her paws. His tail flicked as he rubbed his chin.

"Normally, I'd suggest looking at the CCTV footage from the crime scenes, but we already know where that leads."

She scoffed. Either there were no cameras nearby, either working or at all, or the signal just so happened to cut out at the time of the murder, and didn't come back online until the killer was long gone. It had been the same story with whoever had sabotaged Bogo's car. She bit her lip, not liking where this line of thought was going.

"I really hate to say this, but, what if it's an inside job?" she cringed at the look he gave her. "I mean, this mammal's able to circumvent any nearby cameras, and mess with the ones they can't avoid. They were able to not only tap in to Nick's cellphone, but the Chief's landline, get access to his car, _and_ they've managed to not leave _any_ of their own DNA at _any_ of our scenes. There aren't many civilians who'd know how to do even half of that, let alone have the access to."

She swallowed hard.

"It's the only thing that would make any kind of sense right now, Tony," she went on almost desperately. "Think about it!"

It didn't take him long, and he sighed heavily in resignation.

"You're right," the look on his face said he hated having to say it. "It's the only avenue we haven't explored yet, I guess I was just hoping we wouldn't have to."

"You think I wanted it to come to this?" she got up, her paws clenched at her sides. He shook his head, pushing away from the table.

"At least this narrows it down quite a bit," he tried to smile, it didn't last long. "There's only a few mammals I know of that would hate Nick and Judy enough to try something like this, and most of them are either locked up in solitary or six feet under. Some of the only ones left would be…"

"Sweetwater and Dunlap," she finished flatly. "They'd also be able to handle all our victims, especially if they worked together."

"And Sweetwater was pretty much raised to get into medical school before she decided to join the academy," he went on. "She'd know exactly how to do those amputations _and_ how much medication it would take to get our victims high and complacent."

He paused for a breath, letting her take over.

"And Dunlap's been a gym freak since his teens," she said. "He'd be more than strong enough to drag them around, and it'd be even easier after they were drugged. There's also plenty of mammals down at City Hall that would jump at the chance to help them if it meant getting their records cleaned up. After all, crooked cops are still cops."

"I guess," he sneered a bit. "But speaking of City Hall, we should head down there and make sure they've been hanging around lately before picking them up. No point bringing them in if we can't hold them for anything."

"Good point," she went for the door, then paused, turning back to him. "All that makes sense, but what about all of them being Nick's exes? There's no way they could've known that, and the whole 'I want to be your new mistress' thing?"

"They could've looked in his records," he said. "Or talked to his mother, and it wouldn't surprise me if they were just working the mistress angle to make all this even more screwed up."

Thinking about it that way, it all made even more sense. The pair had proven over and over that they didn't work well with anyone but each other, and both had been overheard saying what they'd do if they became precinct captains, or god forbid, Chief. It wasn't much of a stretch to think they'd do something crazy, especially if it meant further screwing with the two mammals they felt hadn't deserved to have their applications mailed in, let alone even looked at.

 _Still, though,_ she followed after him, getting lost in her thoughts. As cold as they'd been toward Judy, and especially Nick, did that really mean they had it in them to murder mammals? She sighed, rubbing a paw over her face as she climbed in the passenger seat of Tony's cruiser. _Guess there's really only one way to find out._


	34. Dollhouse

Alice was chatting with Ben when Nick reached the lobby, perched on the edge of his desk with the bubbly cheetah hanging on her every word. She'd loved telling and listening to stories when they were kids, or at least trying to, since she'd never been able to stay focused on them for long. He barely noticed when Tony and Steph headed out, the two tigers whispering quickly to each other, waiting until his cousin finished what she was saying before strolling over, hoping the anger and tension still roiling through his veins didn't show through his calm mask and stride.

"Well, look who it is," he flashed a smile, chuckling when she almost fell off the desk in her excitement. She was only four years younger than him, but he was sure he'd always see her as the little girl she'd been when her family had left.

"I'm still trying to get used to seeing you like this," she pulled back from the tight hug, brushing a paw over the shining brass badge pinned to his chest. "The first fox police officer, and he's related to me! That's so awesome!"

She hugged him again, knocking out the breath he'd barely regained.

"I-I just saw you yesterday," he managed, coughing when she finally let him go. His aunt and mom were the same way, but he couldn't remember if his father had been or not. "So, what kind of trouble have you gotten yourself in today?"

She looked at him, then flicked his ear, an act she'd picked up from her older sister, Amber.

"You were always the troublemaker," she said. "Not me, and I doubt that's changed much."

He chuckled again, a real one this time. She had always been able to calm him down, no matter what had happened during the day.

"Anyway," she went on. "I was actually wondering if you knew where to find Finnick. I just kind of stumbled across him yesterday and I forgot I wanted to ask him something, and since this is the only place I know where to find you…"

She trailed off, shrugging with her paws out at her sides.

"Right," he pulled out his phone, bringing up the texts between him and the fennec. "He told me he'd be working at the fish market in Tundra Town today, so that'd probably be the best place to look for him."

He tucked it away, cocking a brow when she groaned.

"We'll have to go back to my hotel so I can change," she waved the long, loose sleeve of her blue peasant blouse. "I didn't exactly come dressed for blizzards."

"Fine by me," he tucked his paws in his pockets. "I'm supposed to be on lunch right now, anyway. We'll have to make it quick, though, I've still got a lot of following up to do."

"On what?" she followed him out, her tail flicking like it always did when she got curious. "Or are you not allowed to say?"

"I'm not allowed to say, except that it's an ongoing investigation," he unlocked his car, waiting for her to get in before climbing in himself. He started it up and pulled out of the lot. It was quiet on the way to her hotel, they'd talked about everything they could think of the day before. Alice had overheard her mom talking to Genevieve on the phone, the two older vixens going on and on about how proud they and the rest of the family were of him, that she was sorry they'd missed his wedding, and that Charlotte was looking forward to meeting her great-nephew. Alice had kept quiet about Amber, though, and it wasn't hard to understand why. Amber had been fifteen when her sister had been born, and had already spent most of her life studying for medical school, to the point where anyone had barely even seen her, even less without her nose buried in one book or another. Then just before Alice and their mom had moved, she'd fallen right off the map, and there hadn't been any trace of her since. He couldn't believe it had been almost thirty years to the day since then.

"Was that story you told me really true, Nick?" she asked suddenly, drawing him out of his train of thought. "About how you and Judy met?"

"Yep, every word," he stopped at a red light. He hadn't seen any point in embellishing it as he normally would have, there were countless videos online that documented every big case of their careers, from the missing mammals on up. There was also the fact that Judy would never go with his version of things, no matter how much better it sounded, at least to him. "And as much as some of it sucked, I wouldn't change a single second."

She looked at him, her eyes sparkling as her imagination went wild.

"I never realized just how romantic you can be," her paws, clasped in front of her chin, dropped heavily in her lap. "Oh, what I wouldn't give to have a guy talk about me like that…"

He winced. Her dating history, short as it was, wasn't exactly uplifting.

"Hey," he reached over, taking her wrist. "You just haven't met the right guy yet, it'll happen."

"But _when,_ Nick?" she snapped her head up to face him. "I'm already thirty-two years old, I can't wait any longer!"

He sighed, squeezing her wrist lightly before taking his paw away. She was still just as emotional as when they were kits.

"I was thirty-four when Judy and I could finally get married," he reminded her. "You still have time to find the right guy, but trying to force things isn't going to help."

She didn't say anything to that, and he glanced over to see her staring out the wide window, her arms crossed over her stomach. He sighed again and focused back on the road, thinking about everything she'd told him at the park, why she was so desperate to find Mr. Right. He turned into the parking lot for her hotel, a bargain place with chipping adobe walls that looked more like some kind of prison. He turned off the car and rubbed his neck, trying to smooth down the fur that had started standing on end again.

"Listen, how about you stay with us," he started. "We've got plenty of room at the loft, and I'm sure Judy would love to have you around."

She perked up a bit, turning to face him. It was hard to miss the dark streams beneath her eyes.

"Really?" she sniffled. "Y-You'd do that for me?"

"Of course I would, you're family," he reached out and took her paw. "You go get your stuff and check out, I'll take care of the rest."

She smiled, sniffling a bit as she wiped her cheek.

"I-If you really think it'll be okay, then thanks, Nick," she unbuckled and got out. "I'll just be a few minutes."

He nodded, waiting until she'd shut the door and headed inside before calling Judy.

"Hey, sweetheart," he got her voicemail. "You remember my cousin, Alice, right? Well, I said she could come stay with us while she's here, since her hotel's pretty much crawling with roaches."

He cringed a bit at the joke, wondering just how close it was to truth.

"Anyway, just call me if you don't think that'll work, and I'll come up with something else. Love you, Fluff."

He sat back and looked out the window, noting how empty the streets were, since it was almost the height of the afternoon. The tinted windows and cranked AC barely made a dent in the heat, even with him being parked in the shade cast by the hotel. Thankfully, it wasn't much longer before Alice was out, backpack over her shoulders, her heavy pink jacket unzipped, rolling a shiny purple suitcase behind her.

"You would not believe the weird looks I got when I came out of my room," she said as she climbed in, having dropped her bags in the trunk in record time. "You'd think a mammal had never gone from here to Tundra Town before!"

She looked at him as he started the car, letting her jacket slip down her arms before buckling up.

"So, where do you keep all your gear, anyway?"

"Under there," he nodded toward the center console. "You got everything?"

"Yep," she settled back in her seat as he started the car. "Pretty much everything I own is in the boot of this thing right now."

She didn't say anything else on the ride, even as they went through the tunnel that opened into glistening mountains of snow and icy ribbons of water. He pulled into the enormous lot next to the open air part of the fish market, tugging on his ZPD-issued jacket before cutting the engine. It was bright yellow and striped with reflective tape, the department's crest riding proudly on his left shoulder and right side of his chest.

"Not even a blind mammal could miss you in that thing," she made a show of shading her eyes. "But I guess that's kind of the point, huh?"

He laughed, zipping it as he got out, wishing he'd remembered to grab the foot wraps Judy had ordered for him off the dryer. At least then only his toes would fall off from the cold.

"So…how are we supposed to find Fin in this place?" Alice was staring at the sloped plastic awning that protected the outdoor portion of the market from the district's near-constant snowfall, fresh piles glittering in the sun where it had fallen around the edges. "It's not exactly small-mammal friendly."

"Not out here, anyway," he nodded toward the building, six stories of solid ice blocks. The trapped body heat of the hundred or so mammals inside made it marginally warmer, though the temperature still had him pulling up his collar and stuffing his paws in his pockets. She hovered close to him, gazing around with her typical child-like wonderment, her tail occasionally brushing against his as it waved behind her. It was on a much smaller scale, though, the largest mammals being caribou and moose, instead of the polar bears and even the odd rhino that braved the frigidness outside. He took out his phone, about to tap out a text to his old friend when a high-pitched scream stopped him.

He barely glanced at Alice before taking off toward the sound, animals of all sizes stepping aside when they saw him. He nearly had to skid to a stop on the frosty tile floor, his heart jerking before starting to pound. A violet chinchilla, probably only seven or eight at the most, was gaping at a cracked open door, a pair of wide, glazed brown eyes staring blankly back at him. Not wanting to frighten him further, Nick slowly knelt down behind him, reaching out a paw to stroke the back of his head. He still jumped a foot in the air, tears spilling from his big blue eyes as he whirled around, barely hesitating before throwing himself into Nick's chest, curling up against him and sobbing.

"Luis?" an older, ebony chinchilla dodged through the crowd that had gathered, a violet female close on his heels. He held her back when he saw what had frightened their son, having to gulp a few times himself before turning to Nick. "I-Is he alright, officer?"

Nick nodded, keeping a firm hold on Luis as he got back to his feet.

"He's fine, just pretty shaken," he passed the pup back to his parents, then grabbed his phone again, his fingers tight around it as he dialed Bogo's office number. It only took a few seconds for the buffalo to pick up.

 _"_ _Please tell me this isn't what I think it is, Wilde…"_

Nick sighed.

"I'm afraid it is, Sir," he turned to look at the door, wishing his night vision wasn't as good as it was. "Right in the middle of the Tundra Town Seafood Market."

* * *

It didn't take a forensic pathologist to figure out the cause of death this time around. Yet despite the clean slash to the throat and neatly amputated feet, there wasn't a drop of blood to be found at the scene.

"He hasn't been here long, either," Abby snipped off some of their victim's fur, sealing it in a small evidence bag. "He's still warm, at least for these temps."

Stamping lightly to try and get the feeling back in his feet, Yamal groaned.

"Then it looks like Tony and Steph's theory is dead in the water."

Nick perked up at that, thanking Luis' parents for their time before heading over to the frustrated dingo.

"I didn't know they even had a theory," he put his paws on his hips. "Care to explain?"

Yamal looked nervous, rubbing the back of his neck before letting out a sigh.

"They realized those two had all the skills a mammal would need to pull this off, and they both have motive," he explained. "But those two were picked up at City Hall, where they'd been all morning, and were taken straight to questioning afterward."

Nick's tail twitched in agitation.

"And _why_ haven't I heard of this before now?"

"Well," he swallowed. "They figured you already had enough to worry about with everything else for this case, you actually scared her when she saw you earlier."

Nick opened his mouth to say something else, the words dying on his tongue when the light music that filtered through the rest of the noise suddenly cut off. The song that replaced it made his mouth go arid.

 _'No one ever listens'_

 _'This wallpaper glistens'_

 _'One day they'll see what goes down in the kitchen'_

He vaguely remembered hearing it before, but couldn't remember where. Fear starting to build in his gut, he turned back to the storage closet, putting his focus anywhere but on the victim's face. He'd ended things with Brian just before Judy had moved to the city, fed up with the otter's approach to even the smallest problem. Either run away and get drunk, or just ignore it until it got too big to avoid, and then run away and get drunk. They'd lasted eight months, and it had taken until after the academy to stop feeling guilty, since he hadn't done anything to try and get Brian the help he needed. Instead, he'd done what had pissed him off so much about the older male, he'd turned around and bailed when things got rough.

 _'Open your walls'_

 _'Play with your dolls'_

 _'We'll be a perfect family'_

He shook the stale feelings away, dragging in a long breath through his nose, trying not to choke on the familiar, fading musk of the otter.

 _Stay objective, Wilde,_ he told himself firmly. _You've already let yourself get way too involved in this._

His ears flicked back when his phone went off, the ringtone telling him exactly who it was. He tugged it out, not able to hold back a grimace as he answered.

"H-Hey, sweetheart," he started nervously. "H-How's it going?"

 _"Not good, Nick,"_ Judy got right to the point. _"News crews are already starting to crowd around the fish market, and even with Francine's help, Lance and Erik are barely keeping them back!"_

 _'D-O-L-L'_

 _'H-O-U-S-E'_

 _'I see things that nobody else sees'_

He froze, already knowing the answer, but he asked anyway.

"W-What do you mean?"

 _"I mean the fact_ something _was found there is already all over the place,"_ she answered plainly. _"But there hasn't been anything about, you know, at least not yet."_

He sighed.

"Abby's going as fast as she can," he stepped away a bit, tucking himself into a slightly more quiet corner. "But you know she won't risk looking anything over just because the press is closing in."

 _"I know, and that's part of why I respect her so much,"_ she shifted against something. _"Ugh, that spot's been itching all morning, it's driving me nuts!"_

He chuckled.

"I'd be happy to help you out if I could, Fluff," he turned back toward the scene. "But I don't think I'll be getting home any time soon."

 _"I understand, Slick, really,"_ she paused a moment. _"You sure you'll be up for this weekend? You know I'm not much use in the kitchen, and you're already stressed out enough from this case…"_

"Yeah, I'm sure, Carrots," he said when she trailed off. "I think it'll be exactly what I need to cool off from all this. Cooking always helps me calm down."

 _"Yeah, I know,"_ she hesitated again. _"Still, I'm worried about you. This has taken more out of you than you're letting on, you need to take a break from it."_

He rolled his eyes.

"You know I can't do that, Judy," he said. "There's too much at stake, and I'm not willing to call this mammal's bluff."

His tail flicked when he heard Alice calling. He'd completely forgotten about her when he'd caught sight of Brian.

"Listen, I gotta go," he focused back on his phone. "We're just about done here, and I kind of abandoned Alice when I saw the body."

She dragged a breath through her teeth.

 _"Yeah, you should get back to all that, I can_ distract _you later, if you like,"_ a sultry tone leaked into her voice. He smiled.

"I don't think I'll get back early enough for that tonight, sweetheart," he licked his lips, pacing a bit to try and get the feeling back in his feet. "We could try in the shower tomorrow morning, though, if you're up for it."

She giggled.

 _"That sounds fine, Slick, it'll give me some more time to figure out what to do. What kind of wife would I be if I didn't surprise you once in a while?"_

Even after two years, that word still sent warmth cascading through him, and it was one of many feelings he hoped would never fade.

"Then it looks like I've got something else to think about, too," he chuckled again. "I'll see you later, sweetheart."

 _"Later, Slick,"_ the grin was clear in her voice. She blew him a kiss before hanging up, sending another wave of warmth over him. He tucked his phone away and headed back to the scene, watching as Abby zipped Brian into a black body bag.

"I've found as much as I can here," she stood up and pulled off her gloves. "I'll have to finish the autopsy to get anything else, but it'll likely be tomorrow or Thursday before I'm able to get anything to you."

She waved to the alpaca tech that had arrived while he was gone, he simply picked up the stretcher and walked out, nodding once to Nick as he passed.

"You're hiding something about all of this, aren't you, Sergeant?" Abby asked suddenly. If there was one thing she hated more than having to rush in her work, it was being kept out of the loop. Nick rubbed his neck, tugging briefly and sharply at his fur to try and gain his bearings.

"There is, Abby," he admitted. "But I'd rather not talk about it until all this is over."

She nodded.

"I understand that, Nick, but you know you won't get out of spilling the beans," she winked at him, then went after her tech, the black metal case at her side likely stuffed with filled evidence bags. She was nothing if not utterly thorough.

"I know," he muttered to himself when they'd left. It amazed him he'd been able to keep it a secret for this long. "I know…"

* * *

 _Dollhouse- Melanie Martinez_


	35. Fallen Law

Dunlap and Sweetwater had lawyered up, an occurrence no one found surprising. It hadn't taken long for Tony and Stephanie to find out what they'd wanted to know. Several mammals who worked at City Hall had been dying to talk about why those two were always there, and the reason was just what they'd wanted to hear. The two had been meeting with the mammals who still believed it had been a mistake to allow Judy to become a cop, and an even bigger one to let Nick within two hundred feet of the academy, forget being accepted. They'd also read through every record they could find on the two, and had been trying to twist what they'd found to make the couple sound both incompetent and unfit to be officers.

"It doesn't say anything about Nick's exes in here, though," Tony sat back and rubbed his eyes. "But then I figured it wouldn't."

"At least we can still book them for messing with official records," Stephanie returned, putting down her own file. "Let's snoop around a bit more and see what else we can pin on them."

"How about not reporting any of this to the one leading the case?"

They froze, turning to see Nick leaning against the doorframe with a blank expression, his ever present shades hanging from the pocket of his shirt. Neither moved as he strolled in, a cool air about him that said more than words ever could.

"I thought I made it clear you were supposed to float any new leads or theories past me," he had to tilt his head back to look at them, though he still seemed to tower over them. Tony rubbed the back of his neck, Stephanie keeping her head tucked against her chest.

"We…wanted to make sure it was concrete," she started. "Before we said anything. You don't have time to waste on dead ends."

His tail flicked once, then he leapt smoothly onto the chair next to hers, pressing his paws flat against the table as he leaned over it. Silently, he looked over what they'd collected, chuckling a bit before pulling back. Tony scowled.

"Mind telling us what's so funny?"

Nick shook his head.

"Sorry, it's just," he chuckled again. "This would've been so much faster if you'd just told me."

He took a folder from the small pile by Stephanie's elbow, taking a minute to flip through it before speaking again.

"I've known about their little plan for weeks, I was just waiting for them to dig a hole they couldn't get themselves out of," he snapped the file shut and slapped it on the table, making them both jump. "Still, you know they both have alibis for the times in question, right?"

They looked at him, Tony laughed nervously.

"Would you believe we hadn't gotten to that yet?"

"Because it wouldn't help you in this," Nick returned, unimpressed. He sighed. "Look, you two, I know Dunlap and Sweetwater are some of the biggest pieces of shit in the city, but that doesn't mean you can try and accuse them of murder, especially ones like this."

He pulled back from the table, sitting down and plucking his sunglasses from his pocket.

"Besides, it wouldn't make any sense for them to be behind all this," he continued, shining the lenses on his sleeve. "They believe Carrots and I shouldn't have been allowed on the force, and I can't think of any way that would lead them to decide to kill anyone, especially my exes, since they couldn't have found out who they were in the first place."

Tony winced. Yet another thing they hadn't considered.

"And even without all that, can you really see either of them playing this twisted excuse of a game with us?" he hung them back on his pocket. "Tapping phones, leaving messages at the scenes, saying they want to be my mistress?"

Stephanie shivered.

"You're right," she rubbed the back of her neck, looking up at the ceiling. "But neither of them really have alibis for the times in question, and it's still more than we've gotten so far!"

"I know, but you can't let how you feel about those two cloud your judgement," Nick scooted to the edge of the chair, putting a paw on her arm. "That just leads to mistakes, and like you said, we don't have time to waste."

She looked down at him, then nodded, putting the file she'd been gripping hard in her paws on the table.

"I guess we just got excited when we realized how easy it would be for them to do all this, we didn't stop to think how much sense it made."

"Or didn't, in this case," Tony spoke up. He brushed some loose fur from his sleeve, then crossed his arms. "So, now what?"

"You still book them for messing with official records," Nick dragged in a breath through his teeth, then slowly let it out. "And for multiple counts of assaulting a fellow officer while in uniform, I'll get you an actual number later."

They couldn't hold back their relieved smiles.

"Better late than never on that one," Tony batted him on the back, knocking the fox forward. His grin quickly faded. "But now we're pretty much back at square one for finding out who _is_ behind all this."

"We at least have a bit more of a profile on them," Stephanie pushed back from the table and went to one of the whiteboards set up against the walls. She took a sheet of paper from her pocket and grabbed a marker, jotting down the relevant details. "They're likely a high-functioning sociopath, or even a psychopath, since they haven't shown any kind of remorse for their victims, and it's pretty obvious they love to manipulate mammals."

"I'd go more with sociopath," Tony spoke up. "They're usually better at blending in with society and are more likely to plan things out and take their time. From the amount of prep we've seen, they didn't just wake up one day and decide to go on this spree."

"As much as all this helps," she popped the cap back on the marker, then smacked it down on the tray. "It'd be even better if we had a freaking name, or even just species to work with!"

She turned to Nick, her tail twitching in frustration.

"Are you _sure_ you have no idea who might do something like this?"

"You think I haven't checked a hundred times by now?" he returned sharply. "The only ones capable of this are locked up or dead!"

"Yelling at each other like that's not gonna help anything," Tony stepped between them, but didn't get a chance to say anything else. Yamal rapped his knuckles on the doorframe, drawing all their attention.

"Hope you guys are ready to get a break in this case," he motioned for them to follow. "We arrested some of the mammals involved, and they're ready to talk!"

* * *

"I feel like I should've seen this coming," Stephanie muttered to herself. She rubbed her forehead, peeking past her paw at the observation window. Dunlap was sitting silently in the interrogation room, his paws clasped on the bolted down metal table. Her former brother in blue had just finished writing down his official confession, and it was quite the story. "Oh, freaking crap…"

He'd been contacted by a strange mammal just before Nick and Judy had announced she was pregnant, asking if he wanted to help prove the two were unsuited to be officers. He hadn't questioned it before accepting, which he at least admitted he should have. All the mammal had needed in return was a favor they'd collect on when they felt like it, which had turned out to be access to the city's traffic and street camera system. Of course, he'd never seen them in the fur, and the few times they'd talked had been through email. It hadn't taken him long to put two and two together once the murders had started, and he'd deleted them off his tablet after failing to trace them. They'd all been sent from public wifi servers in highly trafficked areas, both inside and just outside the city.

They'd gotten much the same from Sweetwater, seated in another room down the empty underground hallway, Tony having taken charge of her. She'd been more willing to talk, but only if they'd agreed to give her and Dunlap a lighter sentence. The only real difference in her statement had been that she'd gotten phone calls, though the voice had been digitally altered, and never the same way twice. The number, or more likely numbers, had been blocked, and she'd been told they were no longer in service when she'd tried to call them back.

 _This explains so much,_ Stephanie thought. They'd taken turns going to City Hall during their patrols, saying Internal Affairs had opened a case on the Wildes, due to 'questionable past conduct'. Which she knew for a fact was a complete load of tripe. As long as they got the job done, and didn't needlessly or purposefully put civilians in danger, Bogo didn't care if they bent the rules a bit. Sure, Judy and especially Nick had a habit of pushing the envelope, but it wasn't like they were going around acting like vigilantes or anything. That, and they'd never tried getting someone unjustly fired. _How the hell could we have missed something like this?_

"I'm pretty sure they're still keeping stuff from us," Tony stopped next to her, smoothing down the mussed fur between his ears. "But at least now we have something to charge them with."

"Yeah…" she kept watching the sun bear through the window, now slumped over the table, facing away from them. "I just hope we'll finally be able to make the assault stuff stick."

"It will," he put a paw on her shoulder. "Almost everyone in the precinct is vouching for Nick, there's no way they'll get away with it this time!"

She just shook her head.

"That's not what I'm worried about, Tony," she looked up at him. "It's the fact they were _helping_ this murderer, and we had no idea! And we're _still_ no closer to finding them!"

She turned away, pressing a paw to her mouth. It was the second time in two months she'd been brought to this, except now it had nothing to do with Ben putting a ring on her finger. She couldn't hold back a sniffle, feeling tears start to soak the striped fur beneath her eyes, whimpering softly when he squeezed her shoulder.

"You know what I always say in situations like this," he started, his voice low. "There's no point getting worried about the past, it just stops you from fixing the future."

She sniffed again, taking a napkin from her pocket and wiping her nose. He was right, the only thing they could do for the victims now was find the mammal who'd killed them, and make sure they'd never be able to hurt anyone else. Dropping the napkin in the trash, she turned back to him, and nodded.

"Let's see if they have anything else they feel like sharing."

"I'm actually surprised they decided to talk at all," he squeezed her shoulder before letting go. "They asked for their lawyers before we even started questioning them."

She shrugged, rubbing the last of the tears from her face.

"They probably figured it wouldn't do any good to stay clammed up, we would've been able to book them whether they talked or not," she dried her paw on her slacks, then started drumming her fingers. "We've got plenty of video showing them harassing Nick, I doubt they even knew the rest of us were watching them."

That had started after Judy had gone on maternity leave, since neither of them had been willing to openly go after the fox while she'd been around. Of course, he'd never said anything to her, since she'd already been under enough stress from nearly losing the baby, and it was likely she still didn't know, he wouldn't want to pile anything else on top of her postpartum.

 _That's probably the only reason she hasn't asked about what else those two did,_ she thought. But even after Judy beat it, there was no doubt that she would, she wondered if Nick would ever tell her the extent of what he'd been put through, both with their former coworkers and at the academy. To this day, no one was sure just how many cadets had been involved, but it had been part of why he'd excelled like he had, so he'd been able to prove each one of them wrong. Was it possible some of his other classmates were somehow involved in this?

"Hey, Tony?" she focused on him again, not realizing until then that she'd spaced out. "You think you could handle these two by yourself, at least until I get Yamal down here?"

He looked at her, tilting his head.

"Why? You think of something?"

"Maybe," she swallowed. "I just started thinking, since this mammal contacted Dunlap and Sweetwater, they might have done the same with Nick's other classmates."

His fur quickly bristled, his lips tightening.

"Just the thought of more cops helping this psycho is making me sick," he growled low in his throat. "But it's still worth looking into."

"You and me both," she thumped her leg in frustration. "I just wish I knew how long it might take, since I can't exactly narrow it down by asking who else gave him trouble."

"I think Bogo keeps that stuff in his office," he said. "I'd ask him before doing anything else."

"That was going to be my plan, anyway," she admitted. "Nick might've also opened up to him about at least some of what happened, but I'm not getting my hopes up."

She threw up a wave and headed for the elevator, digging her phone from her pocket. The Chief was still resting at home, no doubt under duress. Were it not for Erin, she was sure he would've come in the day he'd been released from the hospital, if not found some way to run things from his room.

"Chief, it's Officer Fang—I mean, Clawhauser," she loved having to get used to that. "I know you're supposed to be resting, but I've got a lead you might be able to help me with. It has to do with Nick's class at the academy…"


	36. Puppet

_I just realized it's going to take until May for this story to be fully reposted, but I've kept with the one chapter a week for this long, and since there's less than twenty left, there's not really any point in changing that now._

* * *

Nick let his head drop back against the seat, his fingers viced around the steering wheel. He'd just missed visiting hours at Savanna General. Granted, the news had been good, the swelling in Al's brain was going down, and his doctors guessed they could bring him out of the coma by the end of the week. His spinal fractures were also healing up as they should, though they couldn't be sure how his mobility would be affected until he woke up. But even then, there was still a long road ahead of him, and there was no telling when, or even if, he'd be cleared for active duty again.

 _Just focus on the now, Wilde,_ he blew out a breath, leaning forward to lay his head on the steering wheel. Judy had gotten back to him after he and Alice had left the scene at the fish market, saying she'd love to have his cousin stay with them. He'd stopped by the loft on his way to the precinct to drop her off, sneaking in some quick kisses with his bun before heading back out, spending the rest of the afternoon and most of the evening reviewing the crime scene photos and cross-referencing witness statements. There'd also been a call from the Chief, forewarned by a text from Tony that'd said it related to the lead they were working on Dunlap and Sweetwater.

As always, Bogo had gotten right to the point, his curt words scattered through with low grunts of pain and more pauses for breath than usual. He'd asked for an exact list of the cadets who'd given him trouble during the academy, his gut twisting as the buffalo had explained just why. Their former coworkers had admitted to helping the murderer, albeit unknowingly, and had raised the possibility that they hadn't been the only ones contacted by the mammal. It had taken some time to remember the names, it'd been years since he'd last thought about them, but he'd decided it'd been the perfect place to end the day.

He unbuckled and got out, jamming his keys in his pocket as he headed inside, throwing a half-hearted wave to the young anteater mopping the lobby floor. He took his time on the stairs, pausing at the head of the third flight to call his mother, asking how she was doing. She'd seen his request as the perfect excuse to visit friends and family, and had started planning the trip before he'd even finished explaining the situation. At least, what he'd been able to explain.

 _"_ _I think I've driven everyone crazy talking about little Terry,"_ she said, giggling. _"They're all asking when you and Judy are going to come out and show him off!"_

He chuckled.

"Judy's been itching to come back to work since I brought them home," he answered. "It'll probably be a year or two before I can drag her away from it again."

His smile fell.

"We're also still dealing with that…situation," he stretched against the wall, wincing when his back popped. He hadn't been this stressed since Darwin and the campground abductions. "I don't know when we'll be done with it."

She was quiet for a few minutes, and he couldn't blame her. As much as she tried to hide it, he could tell she was scared, and he'd be the biggest liar on the planet if he said he wasn't, too.

"We'll get this figured out soon, Mom," he said softly. "I can promise that much."

She sniffled.

 _"_ _I know, honey,"_ there was a faint rustle. _"I-I just can't imagine how hard this has to be for you…"_

He swallowed, his fur bristling when he heard muffled laughter. He hadn't realized he'd started walking again until he'd reached his and Judy's door, walking past it to the window at the end of the hall, staring out at the street. The area was mostly residential, with a few restaurants, shops and other businesses sprinkled throughout. There also wasn't much foot traffic at night, meaning it was almost eerily quiet, at least compared to the rest of the district.

"I actually just got home," he finally said, turning away from the view. "Carrots is still up, and Alice is staying with us now. You want to talk to them?"

There was another pause, longer this time.

"Mom?"

She was still quiet, then there was a muted thud as she dropped the phone, his Aunt Yasmin's landline, if the background noise was anything to by. Her next words were muffled and hurried, a few seconds of confusion as she swept it up again.

 _"_ _S-Sorry, sweetie,"_ she said at last. _"I-I just didn't know Alice was back in town!"_

He winced, he hadn't told her before now.

"Yeah, she came to the precinct a few days ago," he chuckled. "She didn't even know I'd become a cop, she was all set to bail me out!"

His mother didn't laugh, but it was what she said next that worried him.

 _"_ _Well, I should really be going,"_ she started hurriedly. _"I-I've got so much to do, and you must be exhausted!"_

His tail puffed, this wasn't like her.

"M-Mom, wait-"

 _"_ _I'll call you in a few days, honey,"_ she cut him off. _"And you can tell me about all the progress you've made on the case!"_

"Mom, wait!"

 _"_ _Bye, Nicky!"_

She hung up, and he brought his phone from his ear, staring blankly down at it. What the hell had just happened? They hadn't heard much from his aunt or cousins since they'd left, even if he still had no idea why, but he didn't think Alice being back in town would warrant that much of a reaction.

 _I'll ask about it later,_ he decided, stopping back outside the door, smiling when he heard the giggles still coming from inside. _There's something more important I have to focus on right now._

* * *

Judy was still laughing when she came into their room later, after getting Alice settled on the couch, the pair of them all but pushing him down the hall when he'd offered to help. Instead, he'd scarfed down some of the leftover garden salad they'd made earlier, then gone for a shower, taking a detour to Terry's room when he started crying. Thankfully, it'd just been a wet diaper, and he'd spent a few minutes getting the kit back to sleep afterward, kissing his forehead before laying him gently in his crib.

"I'm going to make the world a better place for you, son," he'd whispered before walking out. "Your mom and I both will."

He rolled on his side when she slipped into bed next to him, smiling contentedly as she scooted closer, snuggling into his chest.

"Mmm, we should've invited your cousin here earlier," she murmured sleepily. "She's amazing."

He chuckled, nuzzling the top of her head.

"I knew you two would get along," he said. "But I didn't want to just spring that on you."

She hummed, her face still half-buried in his fur.

"Fin's coming over this weekend, right? We could invite Steph and Ben over, maybe even Tony," she yawned, deeply. "Make it a regular dinner party…"

And just like that, she was out. He chuckled again, curling up around her, kissing the soft fur between her ears.

"That sounds like a great idea, Fluff," he whispered, smiling when her tail twitched against his palm. "But let's worry about that tomorrow, okay?"

He carefully pulled the blanket over them, letting the day's exhaustion take over.

 _I don't care what's going on right now,_ he thought as he drifted off. _Because right now, I'm exactly where I want to be._

It was still dark out when he woke up later, to the sound of his phone buzzing on his nightstand. Keeping one arm around Judy, he flopped over and snatched it, his sleep-addled mind snapping awake when he saw the number.

"Tony?" he didn't waste any time, keeping his voice as low as he could. He bit back a yawn. "What's going on?"

 _"Sorry to wake you so late,"_ Tony started. _"But…we've got another, just called in."_

"What?" he slipped out of bed, once again wishing Judy wasn't such a light sleeper. He was amazed she hadn't woken up yet. "Where?"

There were a few clicks.

 _"Outback Island, 416 Shallowford Street,"_ he paused. _"Why does that address ring a bell?"_

"I don't know," he winced when he heard Judy moan. It wasn't the first time either of them had been called out at o'dark-thirty, but he hated her missing sleep when she didn't have to. He held it to his ear with his shoulder as he fixed his pants, thankful he'd opted just for his briefs tonight. "But I'll be there as soon as I can."

 _"Right,"_ he hung up, and Nick clipped his phone into the case on his belt, freezing when he heard Judy shift again.

"Nick?" she was leaning on one arm, ears flat against her back, her favorite black nightshirt slipping off one slim shoulder. She yawned adorably, rubbing her eye with the side of her paw. "What's wrong?"

He grabbed one of the uniform shirts hanging on his side of the closet.

"There's been another murder," no point in lying to her. "I'm going to check out the scene."

She sat up fully, her ears perking.

"Should I come with you? Maybe I can help."

"No," it was hard to keep his voice low. He turned to her, doing up the knot in his tie. "You don't need any more stress right now, and I know you haven't been sleeping much lately."

He wasn't surprised when she started protesting, and he leaned down to kiss her, going willingly when she grabbed his collar to pull him in for more.

"I'll stay, this time," she let him go. "But you won't stop me from being on-scene for the next one, I want to do at least _something_ to help you solve this!"

"And you are," he licked her nose, making it twitch. "You're helping me keep my head clear so I can actually focus long enough to solve this."

She looked up at him, her eyes dimly shining in the moonlight that crept through their window. He lightly marked her cheek, straightening after she did the same.

"I'd love to say I won't be gone long," he said. "But I have a feeling this is gonna be an all-nighter."

She sighed, grabbing his pillow and curling up around it. He pulled the blanket up to her chin, knowing how chilly the room could get at night.

"You know I'll always be here when you get back, Nick," she murmured. "No matter how long it takes."

He nodded, cupping the cheek not smushed against the pillow.

"I'll always be here for you, too, Judy," he kissed her temple. "Now, try to get some sleep, okay? I'll be back as soon as I can."

She nodded, turning fully away from him to bury her face in the pillow. His heart twisted when he heard her softly start crying.

 _It won't be much longer, sweetheart,_ he promised silently. _I'll find this mammal, then I'll come back to you, I promise._

* * *

It didn't take long to figure out why the address had seemed so familiar. It'd been the site of Precinct Twenty's most frequent calls last spring, a row of terraced houses built when the district's first mine had been established. They were rented out by the wealthy quoll couple who owned them, and had been the site of a truly bizarre case. Each unit had gotten a strange message in their mailbox, ranging from innocent compliments about the work the tenants had done to their yards, to blatant threats toward whoever happened to live in the house. Either way, it had never been the same thing twice, and after two months, the mammal behind it had turned themselves in, a bored skunk who'd said it was just something to do. Since she'd been a minor and hadn't hurt anyone, all she'd gotten was community service at an assisted living center, where she'd later gotten a job when she'd turned fourteen.

 _Now if only every crime were that harmless,_ Nick pulled up next to Tony's SUV, zipping his jacket as he got out. The Outback was one of the hottest districts during the day, but once the sun set the temperature quickly dropped. The house was one of the last in the row, the yard cordoned off and brightly lit, a suited-up team of officers combing carefully through the small, well-manicured lawn for any clues.

"Sorry to drag you out of bed like this," Tony waved him over, ducking beneath the line of police tape Nick simply walked under. "I just hope you didn't have a big dinner."

They headed inside, going to the attic.

"We got reports of a fire here a few hours ago," he explained, nodding toward the ladder. "The weird thing is, there were no visible flames, and if the house hadn't smelled like smoke when the family renting it came back, I doubt we would've heard anything about it."

Nick just looked at him.

"You mean whoever set it covered the walls in some kind of…flame retardant to keep it contained?"

Tony shrugged, looking bewildered.

"I can't think of anything else that makes sense," he pulled an evidence bag from his back pocket. "This was also tied to the string you have to pull to bring the ladder down."

He passed it to Nick, the smaller male visibly tensing when he saw what was inside. Another envelope with his name on it, already opened with the note paper-clipped to it.

 _'I'll admit I had some help with this one, I really wanted it to be special!'_

"Wow, so they just admitted they have an accomplice," Nick gave it back, staring up at the patch of ceiling he could see through the opening above him. He swallowed hard before starting to climb, keeping his gaze locked on the painted rafters until he could see over the raised lip around the door. Abby was already examining the body, and he breathed through his mouth to try and cut down on the sting of singed fur. "What do you have so far, Abby?"

"This whole room was doused with Flame Stop, they found an empty thing in the trash out back," she focused back on their victim, a white spotted deer, naked and bound like all the others. "I'll have to test to be sure, but she was likely drugged, then left in this room to die of smoke inhalation."

He nodded toward one of the warped and scorched metal bowls scattered about the floor, many with ashes clumped at the bottom.

"And I'm guessing the fires were set in those," he swallowed again. "How long has it been?"

"Rigor mortis has already set in, that and her liver temp suggests about eight hours," she moved to the doe's face, her mouth dropping in shock. "Oh god…"

"It's gotta be bad to get that reaction out of you," Nick stepped on the next rung, still not climbing fully into the room. "What is it this time?"

It took her a second to reply.

"Her mouth's full of coagulated blood," she carefully angled the head so he could see. "Her tongue wasn't taken cleanly, like the other injuries we've seen, it was ripped out."

His stomach dropped through the floor.

"That gives us two more possible causes of death," she went on. "Even lying on her side like this, she still would've pulled blood into her lungs, meaning there's a chance it choked her before the smoke could, or she simply bled out."

Carefully, she reached under the doe's body, her ears perking when she caught something.

"Her ID's here," she held up the card, the plastic partially melted. "Her name is Mary James, age twenty-eight, species, fallow deer."

Nick's paws clenched on the lip, his claws starting to sink into the wood. Abby looked at him.

"Another ex, I'm guessing?"

He nodded.

"I ended it with her just before the whole Bellweather thing started, she kept spreading lies about me," he started, his voice tight. "T-That was part of why I was such an ass to Carrots when she showed up."

She hummed thoughtfully, then slipped a paw back beneath Mary's side, coming out this time with a pink voice recorder.

"It's a safe bet this thing was damaged by the heat," she went for the play button. "But let's try it."

There was a second or two of static before the music started, pitched up like it always was.

 _'I liked you from first sight, I wanna be your friend, let's play'_

 _'I don't need the paint books, the dolls and the dresses'_

 _'Just tell me why you've left your pictures and gone'_

"We were friends as kids," he clarified. "At least until I started moving schools. We ran into each other at some park, and it just kinda went from there."

She nodded, though he could tell she was barely half-listening, focused instead on finding what she could at the scene.

"We lasted a few months before she started getting suspicious of me," he kept talking anyway. "She got the idea that, since I hustled for a living, I couldn't be paid to tell the truth, and that I was just trying to get something out of her."

"Which, outside of those hustles, I can't really see you doing," she stepped away from Mary's body, apparently having gotten all she could from it.

 _'I did nothing wrong, so why do you hate me so much?'_

 _'This burning canvas became your cruel answer'_

 _'And now flames unsparingly kiss me goodnight'_

"I'll see if I can find out what the ashes are," Abby hit stop on the recorder and dropped it in an evidence bag, sealing it before doing the same with Mary's ID. She then grabbed a clear sample cup from her kit and scooped some out of the nearest bowl. "Though I wouldn't get my hopes up, whatever it is burned pretty thoroughly."

"No kidding," he looked around the small space, furnished with little more than the rickety bed Mary was lying on and a pair of old chairs, the dingy paint cracked and chipping. He'd barely opened his mouth when Tony called up to him.

"Hey, Nick, you're gonna have to cut it short up there," he said urgently. "We just got a call about a body in the Rainforest District!"

* * *

 _Puppet- Mary's theme song from Ib, though I'm not sure what that actually is._


	37. Dirty Angel

If there was ever a place destined to be the scene of something grisly, it was the intersection of Slaughter Road and Leathertree Lane, which, oddly enough, was also the location of a childcare center. Nick would've laughed at the irony if he weren't there for a murder, and if he weren't exhausted. He'd stopped at the first place he could find that served coffee at that hour and gotten the strongest thing he could get, he just hoped it'd be enough to get back to the station. At least there he could pass out on the job without potentially putting lives in danger.

"Okay, so what do we have this time, Tony?" he looked up at the tiger next to him, who was working on his own caffeine fix, a double shot chocolate espresso. Tony wiped his mouth on the back of his paw, tapping a claw on the plastic lid before letting his arm drop to his side.

"This place has been closed for renovations the last few days, busted pipe or something," he explained. "The mammal in charge likes showing up early, and according to her, something just felt 'off' when she showed up this morning. She looked around a bit, and found our victim lying on the tile work they finished yesterday."

Nick pulled in a breath through his teeth, swirling what was left of his creamer-choked dark roast before knocking it back, tossing the cup in the trash can outside the front doors. The parking lot had already been cordoned off, though at this time of day he doubted they'd have to worry about curious onlookers. An older panther from Precinct Twenty nodded solemnly to them before leading them to the scene, the hallway that had seen the most damage.

"We weren't sure what we'd be dealing with here," she started, her gravelly tone suggesting a bad smoking habit. "But considering all the other bodies that have shown up lately, we figured we might as well call you in."

Nick's nose wrinkled at the smell of wet wolf, overlaid by that of blood. They turned a corner in the hall, his ears going back when he saw the gray wolf lying there, bound with a bright green extension cord that had been pulled from the reel sitting next to him. The notch in the right ear gave him a good idea who it was, but he circled around to see the canine's face anyway, and couldn't hold back his horrified gasp.

"Oh god…"

Tony gagged behind him, Nick barely noticing the pain when the tiger's drink splashed across his heels. The wolf's eyes had been gouged carelessly out, the lids pried open to burn the sight of hollow, bloody sockets into the mind of anyone who passed. The long tongue hanging limply from his mouth was pale and swollen, and even from where he stood rooted to the spot, he could see the ligature marks around the mammal's neck, mangled by claws that had failed to break whatever had been used to strangle him.

"Ivy Hedera, the mammal who found him, was pretty much hysterical when she called it in," the panther explained. "She was taken to Whitewood Hospital by the first officer who arrived at the scene."

"And who was that?" Tony kept his back to the dead wolf.

"My partner, Amelia Priest," she offered. "Ivy was treated for shock and given a sedative, so it'll be a while yet before you can speak with her."

"That's fine," Nick forced himself into cop mode, kneeling to inspect the corpse for himself. "Blood's still wet, it hasn't been long."

He turned to the panther, who was also doing her best not to look his way.

"I take it no one was seen running from this place?" he asked. She shook her head.

"I doubt it, the foliage is so thick around here it only takes a few seconds to disappear."

"And the camera at the doors is motion-activated," he mused. "But it didn't respond when we walked by, and going by what we know so far, I think it's a safe bet to say the whole system's been deactivated."

She sighed.

"So it is the same killer," she crossed her arms. "That's what I was afraid of…"

"You and me both," he stood, brushing off his knee. "And I can even make a positive ID, Connor Penwood."

Tony's ears pricked, and he looked over his shoulder.

"Wasn't he the guy you mentioned during the occult case?"

"Yeah," Nick swallowed. "T-This is the first time I've seen him in years."

Tony winced, but didn't say anything. Nick wouldn't have paid him any attention, anyway. He got back to his feet, scanning the floor around Connor, taking in the crimson pool around his head, his scrawny limbs pulled awkwardly behind him, his fur thinning in places and missing in others. They'd made it a year, and then he'd discovered Connor's drug habit, a secret the wolf had hidden so well even he hadn't picked up on it. Even worse was he'd refused to get help, claiming it would've robbed him of his psychic powers. All of that combined had been too much for Nick to take, and he'd kicked him out of their apartment, later moving to the other side of the city entirely to keep the deranged wolf from finding him.

He jumped when his phone went off, having gotten completely lost in his thoughts. It accepted the call before he could even reach to grab it, a garbled, digital giggle bouncing off the empty walls.

 _"_ _No note for you to find this time, sweetie, sorry!"_

He growled, snatching his phone from his belt, his paw shaking from how tightly he gripped it.

"I'm done with your fucking games," he bit off. "If you want me so bad, then just come and get me!"

They giggled again.

 _"_ _Now what fun would that be?"_ they asked. _"Besides, I have to make sure I break you first so you don't try to escape!"_

He barked a cold laugh, wishing he could just reach through the line and rip their throat out.

"If you touch so much as one hair on anyone else's head, you'll be lucky if I leave you in one piece when I find you!"

 _"_ _And what makes you so sure you will?"_ the manic glee had vanished. _"It's been three weeks, and you're still crawling around in the dark!"_

He scoffed.

"Foxes have excellent night vision," he returned. "It's only a matter of time."

A pause, then a short laugh that sent ice down his back.

 _"_ _Well, then you'd better hurry, sweetie, because time's running out!"_

The call cut off, a trio of chimes telling him he'd gotten a text. Tapping the alert, he saw it was an audio file, the number unknown. He hesitated before hitting play, swallowing hard when he heard what it was.

 _'_ _Bring, bringing me to life'_

 _'_ _Getting all your blood tonight'_

 _'_ _Gonna make you feel all exposed'_

That was exactly how it felt, like there was no way to hide from this mammal, no matter how hard he tried. He couldn't stop thinking that he should've tried harder, forced his exes to accept protection when Thomas had died. Sent his mother, Judy and Terry out of town the second he'd realized something bigger was happening.

 _Judy…_ his heart twisted as the thought took root. He hadn't been fast enough, hadn't been smart enough, and now they were in more danger than ever. Swallowing hard, he turned to Tony, freezing again when the next lines registered.

 _'_ _You know it's almost time for my resurrection'_

 _'_ _Getting close to the end'_

 _'_ _But I can't ignite when you survive'_

He didn't have to think on what that meant, he knew exactly what they were trying to tell him. He paused the message and shoved his phone in his pocket, he was trembling too hard to even try and put it in the case. He cleared his throat, forcing calm into his voice.

"Tony, can you take over from here? I have to get started on some things at the precinct."

"Sure," Tony grabbed his shoulder as he passed, looking worriedly down at him. "But after that, I strongly suggest you head home, and I'd rather not see your ugly mug around until Monday."

Nick pulled smoothly out of the hold, his fist clenching at his side as he squeezed his eyes shut.

"You know that's not gonna happen," he said. "Not until this mammal's behind bars or rotting in hell."

Ears falling back, Tony stepped away from him, keying the radio strapped to his shoulder, but Nick didn't hear what he said. He was too busy lining up what he'd say when he got home, how he wanted Alice and Judy to join his mother in Sunset Valley, and that he wouldn't be taking no for an answer. He just hoped Judy would swallow her stubborn pride and listen this time.

* * *

Judy hadn't felt so happy in weeks. The voice still popped up, spewing the same spiel as always, and while it was hard, she was getting better at shutting it out, admitting to herself that she needed to talk about it. Alice had already proven to be a great help in that respect, being a wonderful listener and always knowing just what to say. She'd also fallen in love with Terry, jumping at any chance to take care of him, letting Judy catch up on the chores that had gotten a bit out of paw, with she and Nick being so busy. She'd just thrown the last load of laundry in the dryer when she heard the front lock click, the slightly uneven steps when he staggered through.

"Sweet cheese…" she pressed a paw to her mouth when she saw him. His uniform was wrinkled, his badge crooked, and there was a large stain near his lap. She hurried over as he dropped his keys in the bowl, his aviators clattering softly to the floor when he set them too close to the edge. Swiping them up, she set them back on the small table, taking his paw and leading him to their bedroom. "This is the worst I've ever seen you, Slick…"

"We had…two bodies," he managed, the words broken by a yawn. She guided him to the bed, undoing his tie after he dropped on it, setting it and his badge on the nightstand. "Outback and Rainforest…"

She sighed, running a paw through his messy cheek fur, her frown deepening when she saw the dark circles under his glassy green eyes.

"And you say _I_ push myself too hard," she winced when he fell back, asleep before he hit the comforter. It took a few minutes to get his head on the pillow, and she smoothed down the fur between his ears, the right one flicking when she leaned in to kiss it. "Oh, Nick…"

She slipped silently out, her mood falling further as she thought about what he must be going through. It was taxing enough, dealing with the murder of a stranger, but he'd known each of these mammals intimately, and hadn't had any time to even begin to process their deaths, let alone start to heal from them. She leaned back against the door, gazing down at her rings, each beautiful in its own unique way, both symbols of his undying devotion and love.

 _I wish he'd just let me help,_ she gripped her paw, holding them to her chest. Tears pooling in her eyes as she slid down, spilling over when she clenched them shut. _That dumb, stubborn fox!_

"Judy?"

Her head snapped up. Alice was standing in front of Terry's cracked open door, her pretty face a mask of concern. She stepped across the narrow hall, squatting in front of her.

"I'm worried about him, too," she went on. "I was pretty young when we moved, but I still remember how much he hated slowing down if he was helping someone. Making sure the job got done was always more important to him."

She nodded, taking the vixen's paw as she got back to her feet.

"He's one of the most selfless mammals I've ever known," she said as they went to the living room, sighing as she flopped on the couch. "I just wish he'd remember he has to take care of himself, too."

"Easier said than done," Alice sat in the recliner, grabbing the book she'd left on the end table, Nick's old copy of _The Great Catsby._ "At least he's better than the guys in this thing."

Judy remembered reading the book in high school. Daisy's husband had been a controlling jerk, while Daisy herself had been ungrateful and clueless. Carraway had just kind of been there, and Catsby had been a massive fraud, even if he'd otherwise come off as a good mammal. She hadn't seen why he'd kept pining after Daisy at any rate.

 _Some mammals just can't see their worth, I guess,_ she snatched the remote off the coffee table, turning down the volume as the TV came on. She'd kept ZNN on as background noise while she and Alice had been cleaning earlier, her jaw dropping when she saw what they were covering now.

 _"August Rush reporting to you live outside Childtime Daycare and Preschool in the Rainforest District,"_ the news anchor, a well-groomed capybara, waved a paw toward the building behind him. _"At approximately four-thirty this morning, a body was discovered here by one Ivy Hedera, the mammal in charge of renovations taking place at this location."_

He held a paw to his headset, listening a moment before nodding.

 _"An anonymous source tells us this is the work of a mammal calling themselves The Mistress, and that it is the ninth body being attributed to them,"_ he cleared his throat. _"The ZPD could not be reached for comment, but we can assure our viewers of our continued coverage of this case, and updates will be delivered on the hour. Back to you, Fabienne."_

"Oh god…" Alice shrank back in her chair, looking horrified. "I-I was there when they found that b…body in Tundra Town, but I had no idea there were more!"

Judy groaned and shut off the broadcast, dropping the remote next to her and grinding the heels of her palms into her eyes.

"That's because they've managed to keep it out of the media until now," she swallowed. "Nick's going to be furious when he finds out it was leaked…"

She dragged her paws down her face, peeking through her fingers at the vixen, who'd pulled her legs to her chest and buried her face in her arms.

"Alice?"

Her ears perked at muffled crying, Alice lifting her head before she could move.

"I-It's just…something like this happened a long time ago," she managed tearfully. "I-It's why we moved all the way to Ermineland…m-my mom never told anyone the truth…"

Judy moved to the other end of the couch, leaning against the arm.

"The truth about what?"

Alice sniffled, then shook her head.

"I-I can't talk about it," she wiped her eyes and got up, leaving the book on the chair and taking her phone from her dress pocket. "I-I'm meeting with a friend soon, I have to get ready…"

She went to her suitcase, propped against the wall beneath the windows, flipping up the lid and rummaging through it.

"I can pick up some dinner or something on the way back," she went on, pulling out silver leggings and a pastel purple tunic. Judy shook her head.

"Thanks, Alice, but we've got plenty of leftovers. Nick went on one of his cooking binges last weekend," she gave a weak laugh. It was one of the more productive ways Nick dealt with stress, she was amazed they'd had enough room for everything he'd made. "Do you want me to wait with you at the bus stop?"

She shook her head.

"I told my friend to pick me up here, I just hope he's smart enough to use his GPS this time," she rolled her eyes. "He has absolutely no sense of direction."

Judy giggled.

"I know quite a few mammals like that."

"Don't we all?" Alice smiled at her. "I don't know when I'll be back, and I don't want you leaving the door unlocked after all…that…"

She glanced at the television, then shuddered. Judy hopped to the floor and went to the kitchen, standing on her toes to look through a drawer by the sink.

"We got a couple extra spares made when I lost mine," she set it on the counter. "It'll be here when you're done."

"Thanks, Judy," Alice jumped when she saw the clock on the microwave. "Crap, I'll barely have enough time to dry off!"

She hurried to the bathroom, the water starting seconds after she shut the door. Judy laughed again, making sure Terry was still asleep before slipping into the room she shared with Nick. He was curled up with his back to her, quietly whimpering. She crept around the foot of the bed and climbed up next to him, her ears falling back when she saw the fear on his face, his claws starting to tear through the pillowcase. She took his paw in both of hers, rubbing slow circles into his fur.

"You're not alone in this, Nick," she whispered to him. "I'm here for you, and I always will be, I promise."

* * *

 _Dirty Angel- Courtney Jenaé_


	38. Forced Break

Nick finally dragged himself from sleep, nearly falling off the bed when he saw what time it was.

 _Shit, I missed the whole day!_

He shot upright when the door opened, Judy peeking in with a guilty look on her face.

"I know you're going to say I should've woken you earlier," she came in, holding a tray. "But you were practically sleepwalking when you got home yesterday, and you passed out before you even fell on the bed."

She set the tray on his lap, the rich smell of vegetable stew making his stomach growl.

"I added some of those chicken dumplings you like," she sat in front of him, crossing her arms. "You think I wouldn't find out you'd been skipping meals again?"

His ears went back, his chin falling to his chest. It wasn't that he had a problem with food, there were just times he got too caught up in work to realize he'd missed them, or it was so late when he got home that he just decided to wait until breakfast.

"I just don't have time for this right now, Fluff," he tried to push the tray away, only for her to take his wrists and tuck his paws back in his lap. "Judy, please…"

She shook her head.

"You're not moving until I see you finish this bowl," she crossed her arms again. "I'll cuff you to the bed and feed you myself if I have to."

He could only meet her glare for a moment, then dropped his gaze to the tray. His ears flicked forward when she sighed, taking his wrist again.

"I'm scared for you, Nick," she started plainly. "Your dedication and drive are two things I love about you, but there are times you take it too far. You can't keep letting yourself get emotionally involved like this."

He shook his head, pulling from her grasp.

"That's pretty much impossible in this case, Judy," he said, his fist tightening on the bedspread. "In just over a month, this psycho has _slaughtered_ every mammal I dated in the past, and we're still no closer to catching them than we were at the start."

A low growl rumbled from his chest, his lips curling from his teeth in a snarl.

"And if that wasn't enough, they've spent every second mocking us, because they know they're still ahead," his head snapped up, his eyes blazing. "And they know there's not a damn thing we can do about it!"

He expected her to draw back, just like she had at the precinct. Instead, she picked up the tray and set it on the nightstand, then threw herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, burying her face in his chest.

"I can't begin to imagine how difficult this must be for you," she was crying. "But neglecting yourself isn't going to help anyone, especially the victims."

She sniffled, sitting up and wiping her eyes.

"And no matter how your relationships with them ended, I know they wouldn't want you punishing yourself like this, either," she put her paws on his cheeks, her fingers slipping slowly through his fur. "You're an amazing cop, Nick, and an even better mammal."

She swallowed, her voice breaking.

"A-And I know you don't believe this right now, but _none_ of this is your fault, this spree would've happened no matter who this mammal set their sights on," her tearful eyes narrowed, anger sparking in them. "You're not going to stop until you find who's behind this, I understand that, but that doesn't mean you have to put yourself in an early grave."

He didn't know how to respond when she stopped, her gaze pleading. Finally, he sighed, taking her waist and setting her down next to him. He sat up, leaning over to grab the tray and put it back on his lap. The soup was lukewarm by that point, but that didn't stop him from swallowing every bite. He wiped his mouth with the napkin she'd tucked under the bowl, his ears perking when she kissed his cheek.

"There's more if you're still hungry," she told him. "You did kind of go overboard last week."

He winced, picking up the tray and climbing carefully off the bed.

"I could go for another bowl," he smiled at her, brushing his tail across the backs of her legs. "Thanks for helping me get my head out of my ass, Fluff."

She smiled back at him, letting her paw brush along his tail as he pulled it away.

"That's what I'm here for, Slick," she smirked a bit. "Someone has to keep you grounded, after all."

He chuckled, setting the tray by the sink before wrapping an arm around her, drawing her close against his side.

"And you do an amazing job of it, sweetheart," his eyes shone as he gazed down at her. "I never would've become the mammal I am today if I hadn't met you."

"Neither would I, Nick," she hugged his waist. "Neither would I."

* * *

Nick had ended up eating two more bowls without stopping, Judy having one of her own. They took their time with the few dishes there were, talking about anything but the case.

"I haven't seen Alice since I woke up," he rinsed off the last spoon, his fingers briefly caressing hers as he passed it to her. A light blush bloomed in her ears.

"She's with Ben and Stephanie," she cleared her throat, dropping it in the drawer after drying it off. "They decided it was time for her to see how much the city's changed. They invited us, too, but you were already out cold and I didn't want to leave you and Terry alone."

He nodded, drying his paws and hanging the towel on its hook over the sink. She hopped off the stool and headed for their room, squeaking in surprise when he swept her off her feet. He pressed her back to the wall, tilting his head to catch her lips with his, his tail waving eagerly when she gripped his cheek fur, pushing further into the kiss. She moaned as she let him in, nipping his tongue as it started to dance so sensually with hers.

Nick gasped as he pulled away, dragging in breaths filled with her scent as he lifted her higher, burying his nose in the thick, soft fur beneath her chin. He growled possessively when she marked him, pulling her down to do the same before capturing her lips again, barely aware she'd started undoing his shirt, his claws sinking into the thin black fabric of her shorts after he shoved up her dress, intent on ripping them right off of her.

"O…M…Goodness!"

Judy clung to Nick when his grip faltered, both turning to see the pair of mammals frozen in their doorway, four sets of ears flaring red as their wide-eyed stares locked across the room. Ben clamped a paw over his mouth to hold back whatever he'd been about to say next, his ears splaying when Terry started crying.

"Oops…"

Judy bounded to the nursery when Nick set her down, the fox straightening himself out and buttoning his shirt.

"You always did come in at the worst moment possible," he looked at Alice, who just flipped him off before turning to the embarrassed cheetah.

"Thanks for walking me up, Ben," she patted the paw hanging limp at his side. "I can't wait until we can all hang out again!"

"Oh, me either, Alice," he beamed down at her. "You're awesome!"

She giggled.

"And you're adorable, you big goof," she jumped up and high-foured him. "Now get back to that kickass tigress you call a wife!"

Ben laughed, waving to them before heading off, Alice closing the door and locking it once he was out of sight. She turned back to Nick, who'd already taken off his wrinkled uniform shirt and untucked the white one he wore beneath it. He couldn't believe he'd forgotten.

"There's something we should talk about," he stated plainly. Her ear flicked, her tail puffing as she walked toward him, her worried gaze darting anywhere else.

"I never could keep anything from you," she murmured, rubbing her neck. She sighed, letting her paw drop. "Go on, ask away…"

He put his paws on his hips, realizing just how short she was when he looked down at her.

"When were you going to tell me you've been a missing mammal the last three years?"

"What?" Judy stopped next to him, wrapping her arms around his, glancing up at him before turning to her. "Alice, why would you hide something like that?"

The scowl that formed on the vixen's face was so alien, Nick pushing the bunny slightly behind him when his cousin growled.

"Because I wanted to give my mother something to really worry about," she stated bluntly. "I was almost thirty and she all but had me on a baby leash!"

She shoved her paws through her hair, then dragged them down her face.

"So my sister disappeared or whatever when I was five, that doesn't mean she has to treat me like a toddler the rest of my life! I had to sneak out with Dad just so I could get my freaking license!"

Her callous tone made Nick's fur stand on end, but he could understand her frustration. His mother had been fairly overprotective, too, but had pulled back as he'd gotten older. Amber had disappeared just before Alice had turned six, and his Aunt Sophia, who'd already been a helicopter parent, had taken it to a whole new level. His cousin had been declared dead a year later, almost to the day, and in less than a month they'd packed up and moved to Molesworth, Ermineland, where his Uncle Frank had been stationed. Aside from a few scattered letters before he'd hit the streets, Alice's arrival at the precinct had been their first contact in over twenty years.

"How did you manage to get out of the country?" he brought himself back to the present. "I doubt they would've let you through security without asking questions."

She shook her head.

"An old boyfriend owed me big time, and he'd just gotten his pilot's license. That's why it took me so long to come over here," she went on. "I had to bide my time while he went through flying school, and I was enjoying the freedom I'd never had."

He felt Judy's grip tighten on his arm, knew she was trying to keep from tearing Alice a new one. Family was one of the most important things to her, even with all the grief hers had caused for them, and likely because of it.

"I know what you're going to say, Judy," Alice focused on her, her eyes narrowed. "That she was doing her best in a bad situation, that she was just worried I'd be taken, too."

He held out a paw when she came closer, silently warning her to keep her distance.

"And believe me, I understand all that, really," Alice grabbed his wrist, likely as some kind of anchoring point. "But you have no idea how suffocating it was, she even homeschooled me so I'd have 'one less reason' to leave the house! I just couldn't take it anymore!"

Her claws dug in, making him wince.

"I managed to slip away one night after my mom fell asleep, and I haven't looked back since," she pulled back, and finally seemed to be calming down. It was quiet as they digested her story, Judy stepped out from behind Nick, putting her paw in his as she looked up at his cousin.

"You're an adult, Alice," she said. "So there's nothing we can do to force you to go back, but I can't let you stay here knowing you did that to your mother. I'm going to ask that you call her and let her know you're alright, and explain why you did it. After that, we'll drop the subject for good."

Alice scowled at her again, then gave a short nod.

"Fine, I guess I do owe her that much, at least," she crossed her arms and turned away. "But don't expect me to apologize, because that's not gonna happen any time soon."

"Fine," Judy put a paw to her mouth, barely holding back a yawn. "But let's worry about that tomorrow, I think we could all use some time to process this."

"I know I do," Nick looked at her. "But I already slept all day, I think I'm gonna be up for a while."

She nodded, standing on her toes when he leaned down to kiss her.

"Night, Fluff."

"Night, Slick," she scratched his chin before heading to their room, Nick's tail waving contently as he watched her go.

"You guys are so lucky to have each other," Alice rubbed her arm, gazing at the floor. "I wish every mammal could find someone who loves them that much."

He smiled faintly.

"The last few years have been amazing, but I'd be lying if I said things have always been perfect."

"Huh?" she looked at him. "I thought you said you wouldn't change a thing about how you met?"

"Right, how we _met,_ " he rubbed his ring with his thumb. "There's plenty of shit that happened after that I'd love to change."

He nodded toward the couch, both of them sighing heavily as they fell back on it.

"It took me a while to realize I was in love with her, and once I did, there was no going back…"


	39. Mutual Secrets

"Ow, watch the claws, Nick!"

"Sorry, Carrots," Nick let go, helping Judy to her feet. There were only a few weeks left before he went to the academy, and she'd started pushing him harder than ever. They'd spent the last two hours sparring, and while she'd won most of the bouts at first, the margin had gotten slimmer and slimmer until he was beating her two times out of three. She dusted herself off, and he found it impossible not to stare, since her tight-fitting shorts and crop top left little to the imagination. She wasn't overly muscular, but what she did have was hard to miss, which only served to make her more attractive.

He wasn't sure what she actually thought of relationships, since she turned away almost every interested mammal, male or female. The few guys she had said yes to had been lucky to get a second date, and there was always a week or so afterward where she acted strange, something he still couldn't figure out.

He doubted it was because she felt guilty about turning them down, since her acceptance had never been enthusiastic to start with. She'd told him a few things about rabbit and hare culture, how does were expected to be baby factories and help bucks provide for their families no matter how big they got. But that was all she'd been allowed to share, since anything else was forbidden with non-lapins. It didn't make any more sense to her than it did to him, it was just how things had always been.

"Nick?"

He snapped to attention, hoping she couldn't see his blush past his fur. He'd already admitted to himself he was crushing on her, hard, and while some of his teasing did border on flirting, he hadn't worked up the courage to tell her directly. The reason why was simple, it was too much of a risk. She already got enough flack for being a bunny cop, she didn't need the stigma of a fox attached to her. That, and he had no idea if she even felt that way about him, and he didn't want to make things awkward between them, especially before they'd even had a chance to work together.

"Y-Yeah, Fluff?" he was already letting himself get off track again. She looked up at him, the slightest confusion in her eyes before she shook it off, no doubt chalking his distraction up to something else.

"I said you're going to kick rhino ass at the academy," she smiled. He remembered when she hadn't even dreamed of cursing, innocent little country bun that she'd been. "But now it's time for a shower, then after lunch we're hitting the range to work on your marksmammalship."

His ears went back. He'd always hated guns, and even on the streets had done his best to avoid them. But if he wanted to be a cop, then he didn't have a choice.

"Fine," he shook himself off to expel some nervous energy. "Just don't be surprised at how much I suck, I've never even held a gun before."

She laughed, lightly hip-checking him as they headed for the showers.

"You can't be any worse than I was when I started learning to shoot," she assured him. "It took a week for me to even _hit_ the target!"

He groaned, grabbing their towels from the bench next to the sparring ring.

"You had a whole year to get ready, Carrots," he reminded her. "I only have four months, and we had to waste the first one just waiting for your leg to heal!"

She rolled her eyes, brushing back her ears as she wiped the sweat from her face.

"At least you didn't have to learn _everything_ from scratch, Nick," she returned. "And you were already in pretty good shape when we started. A little more conditioning and review, and you'll be all set!"

"Except for the target practice," he whined. "Are you _sure_ we can't just skip it?"

"Nick!" she laughed again, playfully jabbing his shoulder. "A lot of those mammals will have trained for years, if not their whole lives for the academy like I did. As fast a learner as you are, I don't think you'd be able to, not only catch up, but surpass them all in time for graduation, and only the top ten in the class are picked for Precinct One."

She stopped short, gripping his wrist to hold him back.

"I want to be your partner just as much as you want to be mine," she locked eyes with him, her tone serious. "And that will only happen if you're one of the best cadets, so we can't take any shortcuts. Do you understand that?"

He didn't have to think before nodding firmly. It wasn't just being her partner, it was proving that foxes were more than liars, cheats and thieves, that anyone could truly be anything. And if staying by her side meant keeping his growing feelings for her a secret, then that was just the way it would have to be.

* * *

 _He must be more nervous about the academy than he's letting on,_ Judy thought as she rinsed off. _If he's letting it distract him this much._

On the flip side, it did give her more opportunities to look him over without him noticing, purely so she could mark his progress, of course.

 _Yeah, sure, Judy,_ she groaned to herself, letting her head thump softly against the wet tiled wall. _It has absolutely_ nothing _to do with the fact you're attracted to him, absolutely nothing at all._

She'd always known he was handsome, of course, but she hadn't thought much about it until the night she'd asked why he hadn't become a lawyer instead of a hustler. He'd broken down in her lap as he'd told the story, that a biased lawyer had managed to get his father's murderers acquitted, claiming killing a fox wasn't the same as a wolf or deer. Then just a few years later, he'd been held down and muzzled by his scout troop, the incident completely shattering the kind, thoughtful kit that he'd been, turning him wholly against the world.

And just when he'd started thinking he could be more than a sly, shifty fox again, she'd stabbed him in the gut with her own ignorance, leading him to walk right out of her life. She'd barely had time to process the event before Mayor Bellweather and Chief Bogo had made her the public face of the ZPD, an honor she hadn't been able to accept. Instead, she'd taken off her badge and set it on the sheep's desk, turning her back on the dream she'd sacrificed so much of her life to achieve.

 _I was able to fix it, though,_ she told herself firmly. The guilt hadn't stopped biting at her, and she doubted it ever would. _Nick and I uncovered the whole truth_ together, _and I managed to get my best friend back._

It had taken a few days to wrap her mind around the fact he'd forgiven her, that he still wanted to be her partner after all she'd done. It didn't matter to her that it had been inadvertent, since her nerves had led to her spewing the first thing that had come to mind, which had just so happened to be that one badger's words, how it was biology that was causing preds to go savage. He'd realized that while they'd been apart, he'd said, but by the time he'd felt calm enough to look for her so they could talk, she'd been long gone. And it hadn't taken her long to puzzle out why he'd never gone to Bunnyburrow to find her, with how most bunnies still reacted to foxes.

Swallowing hard, she reached blindly to shut off the water, swiping off the excess droplets as she walked to the fur dryer, flipping the timer and size dial on the wall, lifting her arms and slowly spinning as it did the work. She couldn't stop herself from imagining Nick doing the same, how his steadily growing muscles must look with his wet fur laying flat against his skin, the teasing heat there'd be in his deep green eyes as he gazed at her, how his claws would scrape so slowly across her skin…

 _Oh, sweet cheese and crackers!_

She yanked her paw back when it brushed against her flushed folds, hoping to god no one had seen her. It was the first time she'd ever been attracted to someone like this, and it just had to be her best friend, her smart, charming, funny and gorgeous best friend.

 _Okay, that's enough!_

She shoved the thoughts from her mind, forcing herself to focus on the next aspect of Nick's training. She doubted he had as little experience with guns as he claimed, after spending twenty years in the criminal underworld, even if it had mostly been on the fringe. Even so, she understood his dislike for them, since his father had been shot in cold blood, not to mention all the other families who'd been ripped apart by that insane cult, which had thankfully been all but disbanded by now. She also couldn't decide which would be better, if they got a case that allowed them to shut it down for good, or if the mammals of Zootopia banded together to do the job themselves.

 _If it means they'll never be able to hurt anyone again, then I guess it doesn't matter._

She went to her locker when the dryer stopped, smoothing down her fur before opening it to grab her clothes. She got dressed and grabbed her phone, groaning out loud when she saw the number of texts from her family. Her twenty-fifth birthday was three months away, and she still hadn't gotten married or had any kits, two of the most important things in bunny culture. Their constant nagging and attempts to set her up had been part of what had pushed her to move so far away, but instead of giving her the peace she'd longed for, the distance had just made things worse. But at least now she just had calls and texts to ignore instead of almost a thousand bunnies jumping down her throat. And that was just her family.

She jumped when her phone vibrated, bringing her back to reality. It was a text from Nick, asking what was taking her so long. Sighing, she messaged back, saying she'd be right out, shoving it in her pocket as she tossed everything else in her gym bag. She wanted to be sure of how she felt before she said anything, even if there wasn't much chance, or really any that he'd feel the same way.

 _I've never seen him look at a girl the way he does some of the guys at the precinct,_ she swiped a paw under her eye, brushing away tears that weren't there, at least not physically. Her first crush since that singer in high school, and he had to be gay.

 _Just my freaking luck…_

* * *

"Wait, what do you mean you're _married_?"

Judy couldn't blame him for being shocked, she was still trying to wrap her mind around it herself. She held out her paw, showing him the plain gold band that adorned it.

"I mean that I'm married, Nick," she said flatly. "My husband's coming in a few weeks."

He just stared at her, then turned and walked stiffly away. Again, she couldn't blame him, knowing she'd be just as pissed if he'd suddenly shown up with a ring on his finger, especially with no mention of him even seeing someone in the first place. She hadn't gotten a chance to explain everything, though, that it had been arranged, and she hadn't had a choice, even if she doubted it would have done much. He would still feel betrayed, and she would still feel horrible.

 _Why did I even_ go _to that reunion?_

Even in high school, she'd find excuses to miss them: tests to study for, a stomach bug, extra training for the police academy. Anything if it meant avoiding the scores of family members that had already been pressuring her to get married, saying that her dreams were too much and just wouldn't happen. They couldn't happen, because bunnies didn't belong in such dangerous lines of work, and they had no business trying. If she were anyone else, she was sure she would've given up long ago, settled down with some buck and had three hundred kits by thirty like everyone else.

But that wasn't who she was, who she'd ever been. She'd always known she could do more than farm carrots and give birth, and as far as she knew was the only one in her family brave enough to try. It hadn't mattered what was said or who'd said it, she'd used the anger she'd felt as fuel to push herself even harder, and she'd not only proven them wrong, she'd blown their expectations clear out of the sky.

So, how the hell had she let herself get talked into this?

 _It must've been my nieces and nephews begging…_

Her mother had gone to the first floor playroom during their last Muzzletime call before the reunion, the sight of forty six-year-olds giving her pleading looks, complete with big, sad eyes and quivering lips too much to resist. She groaned, wishing she were sitting at her desk so she could slam her face into it. The older doe never had been above playing dirty, though she'd never gone quite that far before.

 _I should've taken that for the red flag it was,_ she scowled to herself, heading for the cubicle she shared with Nick, not surprised when she saw he wasn't there. He was behind in his reports like always, going by the stack of notes and other paperwork on his desk, but she couldn't see him focusing on them right now. Knowing him, he'd stopped by his locker to change into one of his old academy uniforms, then gone for a run around the block, one of several habits he'd picked up from her over the time they'd worked together. She couldn't believe it had already been eight months.

She dropped in her chair, turning so her back was to the open doorway, once again staring blankly down at her ring. She'd thought about leaving before she'd planned to, but she'd ignored that niggling feeling in her gut, and two days later she'd been ushered into town by her female littermates. By the time she'd caught on to what was happening, it had been too late to escape. Not that she could have, anyway, since one of her younger nieces had gotten into her things the night before and flushed her ticket home. An act part of her was starting to think hadn't been as innocent as it had come across.

 _I wouldn't put it past them,_ she told herself. _Not after everything else they pulled to get this thing on me._

She could've just left Darwin at the altar, she knew that, but it would've meant even more ragging, more random bucks sent her way that had no interest in supporting her dreams, and often just wanted the right to say they'd screwed the hardest doe in Bunnyburrow. And that was if they didn't decide to just disown her outright for refusing to follow tradition. At least Darwin seemed to be a good mammal, and she'd be lying if she said she didn't find him attractive, but it was way too early to say that she loved him. That wouldn't stop her from trying, though, if it meant finally getting her family's approval for something other than how good she was with kits. Besides, her little crush on Nick couldn't last forever, could it?

 _Guess I'll just have to wait and see,_ she blinked back the tears in her eyes as she spun back around, having heard the echo of Bogo's baritone down the hall. _I'm sorry, Nick, I never wanted to hurt you like this!_

* * *

Alice just sat there when Nick finished talking, her mouth open and eyes wide as she tried to process it all.

"So, let me get this straight," she started slowly, shoving a paw through her hair. "You and Judy had some serious crushes on each other, but she thought you were gay, and you thought you guys were too different. She goes to a family reunion while you're off training, and when you both get back, boom, there's a ring on her finger?"

He just nodded.

"And then her husband turns out to be some paranoid cuckoo clock, who not only tries to make you both lose your jobs, but _shoots_ you with the same gun he stole from her? Wow…" it sounded even crazier now that she was saying it all at once. "And it took the threat of her going to jail for _murder_ for her parents to let her divorce him, after they'd already forced her into it in the first place?"

He nodded again, the faint anger on his face showing she'd pretty much summed it up. She gaped at him, then fell back against the couch, staring at the ceiling.

"Wow…" it was all she could say for a while. "So…you guys are even luckier than I thought. You went through all that shit: her forced into marriage, both of you almost _dying_ several times, and you still got to be together in the end. I doubt there are many mammals who can say that."

Another nod, then he leaned forward, his fingers steepled.

"I still wish I'd been mammal enough to tell her when I realized it, but I was too scared she'd reject me, that I'd lose one of the only real friends I'd ever had," he sighed, resting his forehead against his paws. "If I had, then maybe everything with her family wouldn't have happened, and we'd probably be celebrating our fifth anniversary soon instead of our second."

He let out a weak chuckle.

"But I guess there's no point in thinking about all that now," he went on. "It was pretty rough, but we survived, and we're still here to prove that nothing's impossible, as long as you have something to live for."

He looked over toward the master bedroom and nursery, a small smile on his face. One that turned into an amused smirk when he heard her ringtone, the chorus of a bubblegum pop song, the exact opposite of the kind of music she'd told him she listened to.

"Oh, be quiet," she playfully glared at him. "Unless you want me telling Judy about your failed modeling gig."

He shrugged, smirk still firmly in place.

"She already knows everything there is to know about me, good and bad," he sat back, paws behind his head. "So, who's calling?"

"Oh! Right," she looked back at her phone, frowning when she saw she'd missed the call. "Ugh, shoot, it was my producer, I've been waiting for that all day."

"So just call him back," he stood, groaning as he stretched his arms over his head. She dropped her phone next to her.

"He doesn't pick up unless he's the one making the call, some weird 'artist's quirk', as he calls it," she rolled her eyes. "If he didn't do such a kickass job, I would've kicked his to the curb a long time ago."

She got up, her tail curling as she let out a deep yawn, just like when she'd been a kit.

"I can camp out in the nursery if you want to stay up," she offered. "I could also keep an ear out for Terry so Judy can get some extra sleep, even I can tell she's more exhausted than she's letting on."

He chuckled.

"I was actually gonna turn in soon," he stretched again, his back popping. "I'm still kinda beat."

"I can imagine," she went to her suitcase to grab some PJs. "Judy said you've practically been running on fumes the last few weeks."

He didn't answer, and she turned to see him tapping away at his phone, his brow furrowed.

"What's wrong?"

He stared at the screen a few more seconds before shoving out a breath, letting his arm drop.

"A co-worker and close friend of ours is in the hospital, they had to put him in a coma because of swelling on the brain. They're finally going to let him start waking up," he swallowed. "But they have no idea when he'll be able to come back to work, or if he'll ever be able to."

She gasped, dropping her pile of clothes and coming over to hug him.

"Oh, god, I'm so sorry, Nick," she didn't know what else she could say. He put a paw on hers, squeezing it briefly before pulling away. She couldn't remember ever seeing him look so determined.

"Either way, we'll still be there every step of the way, he's not gonna go through this alone."

She smiled sadly, then nodded.

"I'll try and be there, too, if I can," she said. "If he's friends with you, then I already know he's an amazing mammal."

He nodded.

"That he is, Alice, that he is."


	40. Restlessness

Bogo had left Nick and Judy the same message on their phones, that Nick would be suspended if he were seen anywhere near a precinct before Monday. He would not have any of his officers dropping dead from exhaustion, no matter the case. Of course, Nick had called back and tried to argue, saying he didn't have time for a break with that mammal still out there. The buffalo had just spoken over him, asking if he'd wanted to be demoted as well, which had shut the fox right up, at least for a while.

"There's gotta be some kind of regulation against him doing that," he muttered angrily, tightening his hold on the bunny cuddled against his chest. Judy shifted her shoulders as his claws dug in, gently bouncing Terry when he started fussing. "He heard what that mammal said just as well as I did!"

Judy sighed, pulling away and holding their son to her shoulder.

"You've never been afraid to bend the rules, Nick," she said after he burped. "He has to do the same thing with you, otherwise you'd never listen to him."

Nick barked a short, bitter laugh.

"This psycho's done too much damage already," his puffed tail thudded against the side of the window seat. He'd built in a shelf Judy had already packed with books, her favorites from the legends, myths and fairy tales she'd collected through her childhood, the rest waiting in a large box in their storage room. "I'm not going to stop until I have them."

He got up when she did, following her to the living room. Alice was standing by the window closest to the door, talking excitedly into her headset as she brushed her tail. Judy set Terry in his bassinet, tickling his belly and smiling at his gurgling little laugh, the tension she could feel coming off Nick in waves lessening a bit when he heard the sound. He pressed his dark paws to her shoulders again, leaning down to nuzzle the base of her ear.

"Are you sure you have to go out today?" he asked quietly, his voice still tight. She bit back another sigh.

"Isabel, Fru-Fru and I made these plans two weeks ago, I can't just back out at the last second!" she turned, paws on her hips as she looked up at him. "I know you're worried about me, Nick, but we'll have Raymond and Kevin with us like we always do, and we're going to stay in public. Unless they're invisible or we let them, no one will be able to get close to us!"

His fingers twitched against her arm, his tail curling around her legs. His ears were flat, white teeth flashing past curled lips. She leaned into him, wrapping her arms as far around his chest as she could reach, nuzzling into his soft cream fur.

"I'll also have my badge and my tranq pistol on me," she cuddled further into his warmth. "You don't have to worry…"

A low, hot breath slipped past her ears.

"I know," he knelt down, taking both her paws in one of his, cupping her cheek with the other. "But that's not going to stop me from doing it. You and Terry are everything to me, Judy, just the thought of losing either of you terrifies me."

She gazed at him a moment before gently pulling a paw from his grip, swiping a tender claw beneath his eye.

"You'll never lose us, Nick, I won't let it happen," she promised, smiling sadly. "And I know you won't, either."

He chuckled, though there was still no humor in it.

"Damn straight," he kissed her forehead. "Just promise me you won't wander too far from them, okay?"

She nodded.

"Of course, and I'll come right home when we're done," she took his chin and lightly marked him, giggling at the tickle of his whiskers when he did the same to her. She tapped the button of his frayed jeans, her smile turning sly. "And if you're a good fox and clean yourself up, I might even have a little surprise for you when I get back."

She winked, teasing him with the barest brush of her lips over his before stepping back, hopping out of reach when he tried to snatch her again.

"We should be back in about three hours," she turned, smoothing a paw along her hip as she smirked over her shoulder. Her eyes heated as his tail thumped the floor, the dark pink tip of his long, agile tongue sneaking out to lick his lips. "You have until then to make yourself handsome again, sweetheart."

And with one last, saucy wink, she slipped into the bedroom to change, locking the door so he couldn't sneak a peek.

 _He's waited this long,_ she eyed the bag hidden on her side of their closet, biting her lip as she imagined the expression he'd have on his face when he saw her. _He can wait until tonight._

* * *

Nick hadn't realized how shaggy he'd gotten until he'd looked in the mirror after Judy had left. Even when he'd lived on the streets, he hadn't let it get this bad. It didn't surprise him that no one had said anything, though, with the mood he'd been in the last few weeks.

 _They probably thought I'd rip their heads off…_

He took his time with the trim, trying not to drool on himself as he imagined what his bun had in store for him. At this point, he usually knew what to expect from her, like how she acted completely unaware whenever he snuck up to hug her from behind, but there were still times she managed to surprise him. Their wedding night was a prime example, when he'd peeled off her gown to reveal some of the raciest lingerie he'd ever seen. He'd taken forever to pull that off of her, driving them both crazy as the heavy, heady scents of their need mingled in the air, which in itself seemed filled with electricity. To this day, it was still the longest they'd spent making love, though he looked forward to changing that the first chance he got.

His ears perked when he heard Terry down the hall, and he smiled as Alice went to tend to her tiny cousin. She'd dreamt of being a mother since she was two, and even while hiding from her own mom had taken every chance she could to care for kids. Foxes were one of the most well-liked species over there, she'd explained, since so many grew up hearing stories of Robin Hood and his band of mammals, taking on anyone that let their greed or status control them. Which left him to wonder just what the heck had happened with the rest of the world.

 _Guess there's really no way to know._

He got dressed and cleaned up the bathroom, his tail swishing slightly when he saw a text from Judy. The movie, some musical about the circus, had been amazing, but their plans for a late lunch had fallen through when Fru-Fru and Isabel had gotten calls from Xavier's and Ju-Ju's schools. He'd gotten in a fight with some alpaca machos who'd been bullying a wolf cub, apparently about the fact his father had walked out, while she'd fallen and twisted her knee during afternoon recess.

 _'Raymond and I are waiting at Tundra ED with Fru-Fru while Kevin takes care of Isabel,'_ the latest one said. _'I'll text you when I'm on my way home.'_

 _'Hope it's not too bad,'_ he messaged back. The little shrew had basically adopted them as her aunt and uncle, and had been overjoyed when she'd learned Terry would be coming just after her sister. ' _Tell them I'll stop by when I can.'_

 _'Already done, slick,'_ popped up a few seconds later. _'And you remember that deal we made, right? ;)'_

He chuckled, his tail waving wildly at the thought.

 _'How could I forget? Just hope you're ready, sweetheart.'_

She didn't get back to him, likely because Fru-Fru needed her. He stuck his phone in his pocket and went to the kitchen, seeing Alice curled up on the couch with Terry nestled in her lap, giggling as she gently played with him. She really would make a great mom someday.

 _Doubt she's called Aunt Sophia yet, though,_ he focused on the small pile of dishes in the sink. They usually waited until after dinner to take care of them. He shrugged. _Not like I have much else to do right now…_

Judy had already had to stop him from sneaking out to the precinct, despite Bogo's threats. It didn't help that Yamal and the others had apparently been ordered to radio silence where he was concerned, he couldn't even get Ben to crack!

"Guess old Buffalo Butt really is serious about this," he muttered to himself, twisting the handle to get the hot water started. "There's gotta be _some_ way around this block of his…"

He shoved out a breath, trying to zone out as he got started on the dishes, and when that didn't work, imagining just what Judy had planned for tonight. Which turned out to not be the best idea when he singed his wrist under the steaming stream from the faucet.

 _I guess I could look over what I already have, see if there's something I might've missed,_ it was better than just sitting around fretting about it, at least. _Doubt it'll get me anywhere, though…_

* * *

Alice didn't think she'd ever seen someone so adorable. Terry looked so much like Nick had as a kit, with enough of Judy to make him one of a kind. She nuzzled him one last time before laying him in his bassinet, flipping the switch on his mobile, smiling as he reached for the plastic bluebirds and clouds. A few soft giggles later, he yawned, and she tucked him tenderly under the tiny patchwork quilt, likely one of a hundred blankets Genevieve had made for him.

 _Oh, what I wouldn't give to have my own kits!_

She knew there were several ways to make it happen: going to a donor, adopting or fostering, some females even put out ads for someone to breed with, but as much as she longed for it, she knew just having them would never be enough. She wanted that special, walking on moonbeams kind of love with a mate like her aunt and uncle had had, like what Judy and Nick seemed to have. That was another reason she'd pulled so far away from her own mother, who had insisted on living in the past, treating her like the little girl she'd been when her big sister had vanished.

 _Mom always did like her best,_ she thought bitterly. Amber had been eight when she'd come along, and already planning on being the best surgeon the world had ever seen. She remembered their parents arguing, their mother saying she spent too much time playing make-believe, that getting a college degree was the only way she'd get anywhere in life. Her father, a handsome platinum vulpine, had told her to be reasonable, that putting insane pressure like that on a kid would just make them more likely to sever ties with her. To be happy to forget she even existed. Besides, he'd always added, he only had a high school diploma, and he'd managed to build a thriving business from the ground up, because he hadn't shut the door on anyone who wasn't as successful as he thought they should be. He didn't expect children to live up to standards they weren't even old enough to understand, and he didn't have a problem lending a paw where it was needed without all but demanding something in return.

He'd never second-guessed marrying her, though, at least as far as Alice remembered. There'd been tears in his eyes as he'd walked out the door that day, saying it was his last resort to make her mother realize how damaging her attitude was. He'd promised to visit when he could, but he never had, and it had taken until they'd already moved for her to find out he'd been killed by the same cult that had slaughtered her uncle. Amber had disappeared a few months after he'd left, and Alice figured losing her favorite daughter had been the last nail in the coffin for her mother's sanity. She'd taken away Alice's few freedoms one by one, until she'd been virtually imprisoned in their tiny apartment, since they'd been evicted from their condo after her father's business had gone under. Something she was sure her mother had wanted, since she'd turned away anyone who'd offered to come in and help run it.

 _But, why though?_ Was it because she hadn't wanted to be reminded of him, of how much he'd done for them? Or, as she thought was more likely, had it simply been more of her mother's pettiness? She'd accepted years ago that she'd never get a clear answer to most of her questions, her mother was just too far gone, and no one else she'd asked over the years had been able to offer much, if anything at all. She sighed, brushing her bangs aside after getting Terry settled. _Guess there are just some things I'm not meant to know…_

She headed toward the kitchen, stopping when she saw Nick, his eyes half-closed under a furrowed brow, his shoulders tense as he scrubbed a stone baking pan, the rest of the dishes spotless and wet on the drying rack next to the sink. They'd been so close when they'd been kits, despite the age difference, and he'd never treated her like she was second best, as so many mammals who'd known Amber had. She'd tried writing to him a thousand times after she'd left, but the letters had never even made it to the mailbox. Her mother had insisted on checking every room in the house daily, anything deemed 'too dangerous' or 'not essential' immediately snatched up and thrown away. A state-of-the-art security system had been the most expensive thing they'd owned, the passcode to which her mother might as well have changed on the hour, making it impossible for her to sneak out. At least, until she'd found the perfect way around it.

The little door had been in the attic, hidden behind a stack of boxes left by the last family that had lived in the house. Alice had been ten when she'd found it, bored out of her mind one storming evening, her mother blissfully unaware in her room after downing her usual sleeping pills. It had opened into a large room with a sloped roof, the dusty walls decorated with posters, bright as the day they'd been hung since it didn't have any windows. It hadn't taken long to claim the space as her own, though she'd been sparing about the time she'd spent up there, knowing her mother would find some way to steal it from her, just like she'd stolen everything else. It had taken a while to find the hatch, tucked away in a corner where the light of her small lantern, 'only to be used for real emergencies', hadn't reached. It had led directly to a hidden door in the back wall, and then all she'd had to do was push aside a loose board in the fence to make her escape.

She blinked when she heard the water stop, her eyes widening a bit when she realized Nick was shirtless, something he never would've dreamt of doing as a kit. She let her gaze trail over him before resting on his back, watching the muscles shift under his fur as he wiped down the countertop. Grinning deviously, she snuck closer and grabbed his tail, unable to hold back a laugh as he let out a startled yip.

"Sorry, Nick," she managed through her giggles. "It was just too good to miss!"

He sent her a peeved, tired glare, then rolled his eyes, keeping his tail close as he went back to what he'd been doing. She swallowed nervously, letting the quiet linger a moment before speaking again.

"Uh, gotta say, police work really looks good on you, Nick."

He glanced at her over his shoulder, then shrugged.

"Judy pushes us both pretty hard," he explained. "We're still the smallest ones on the force, so we have to make sure we can handle whatever comes at us."

"Like this crazy case, you mean?" the words slipped out before she could stop them. He went stiff again, his claws digging into the countertop before his paws curled into tight fists. She stepped back as his lips curled in a harsh snarl, a dark growl rumbling low and angry in his throat.

"This mammal will be lucky if I don't rip them apart when I find them," he started, and she didn't need to see his face to know his eyes were blazing. "They've tormented this city for far too long, and I'm not about to let them get away with it!"

He slammed his fists on the counter, silverware clattering together in its cups on the drying rack. The next second, he went limp, the scent of tears filtering through the air as his legs collapsed beneath him. She ran to his side and dropped down beside him, wrapping her arms around his trembling shoulders and pulling him close, fighting her own tears as he wept against her.

"I'm sorry, Nick," it was all she could think to say, and she buried her face in the nape of his neck, unable to keep them back. "I'm so sorry…"


	41. How Could You?

Judy had finally gotten Alice to call her mother, the conversation just as tense as she'd expected it to be. Sophia had been hysterical, demanding to know why she had left, she was only trying to protect her! Alice had barely gotten a word in edgewise through the tirade, and it had taken the threat of cutting off contact for good for her mother to quiet down long enough for her to explain. She'd understood that she was scared and doing what she'd thought was necessary, and she'd been fine with it at first, but then it had just kept getting worse.

"I didn't know how else to get it through your head that you were suffocating me," she stated bluntly. "I was _twenty-five_ and you were still expecting me to take naps and play with blocks like a three-year-old! You wouldn't even let me get my driver's license!"

 _"_ _But I've told you over and over how dangerous it is out there,"_ her mother returned, her voice tinny from the speaker function. _"You know what happened to your father and sister!"_

Alice growled.

"I've managed just fine by myself the last three years," she returned acidly. "And I doubt you cared when Dad was killed, he was never good enough for you, anyway!"

Her mother gasped.

 _"_ _Of_ course _I cared,"_ she yelled. _"How could you possibly think I didn't?"_

"Oh, please," Alice scoffed. "Don't think I forgot all the fights you two had, I can't believe I never asked to go with him, especially with how you were always comparing me to Amber!

"I was four years old and you were already trying to mold me into the perfect little college student," she was on a roll. "I was barely second-best because I didn't have my life planned out before I even started kindergarten! I'm sure you wish _I_ was the one who'd disappeared back then, not her!"

Her mother was silent for a long while, then let out a hard breath.

 _"_ _Okay, you know what? That_ is _what I wished, and what I still do!"_ her voice had gone completely flat. _"I knew from the minute you were born that you were_ never _going to amount to anything, because you're too much like your father, too lazy to get anything more than a high school diploma. I'm honestly surprised you even got_ that _!"_

Judy gasped, about to lay in to the cold-hearted vixen when she started talking again, still in a monotone.

 _"_ _I thought keeping you separated from that family would mean you'd actually study, start caring about your future, but even locking you up didn't change anything!"_ she paused a second. _"Go ahead and waste your life however you want, I've washed my paws of you, and thank goodness for it."_

The line went dead, Alice's paw trembling, clenching tightly around the phone before going slack. The screen shattering when it hit the hardwood floor. She wasn't crying, though, at least not on the outside.

"I knew it," she muttered furiously. She shook Judy's comforting grip from her arm, not even glancing at the bunny before taking off, slamming into Nick as he opened the front door, tearing down the hall and vanishing around the corner.

"Alice, wait!" Judy ran after her, only to be stopped by Nick's arm across her chest. She stared up at him, her confusion growing when he shook his head.

"Trust me, you don't want to be around when she's like this," he said, then ticked his head toward the stairwell. "I passed Fin in the lobby on my way up, for some reason he's the only one who's ever been able to calm her down."

She swallowed.

"Her own _mother_ just said she wanted her dead, Nick," she started. "W-We can't just leave her alone!"

She tried to push past him, his paw lashing out to snatch her wrist.

"You've seen the scar on my chest, Judy," he set down the bag he'd been carrying, a reusable tote from the grocery store down the street. He pulled his collar aside, showing her the pale, slightly jagged line, the wound having been bad enough that his fur had never regrown on the site. "Alice gave this to me just before she and my aunt moved, and that was when she was five years old, not much smaller than you."

She gasped. He'd told her he'd gotten it in a fight, but he'd never said who it had been with. In fact, she couldn't remember him ever mentioning Alice before she'd shown up at the precinct.

"How come you never told me about her before?" she pulled from his grip and crossed her arms, her foot starting to thump when he hesitated. Finally, he sighed, grabbing the bag and coming inside, leaning heavily against the door once he'd shut it.

"The truth is I'd practically forgotten about her," he admitted. "I'd barely turned ten when they left, and there hadn't been any contact with them until Aunt Sophia called my mom to tell her Alice was missing a few weeks ago."

Judy blinked, then shook her head.

"But…Alice has been gone for three years," she said. "Why wouldn't her mother have reported her missing long before then?"

He looked at her, his eyes flaring with anger.

"I don't think I have to explain that to you, Fluff," he stepped past her, heading to the kitchen and setting the bag on the counter. "Amber didn't rub Alice's face in the fact she was my aunt's favorite, but she wasn't exactly shy about making sure mammals knew."

Judy's fists tightened at her sides, memories of her own childhood starting to claw their way out of the pit she'd buried them in.

"Too bad Alice's phone shattered when she dropped it," she swiped it up off the floor. "Otherwise, I'd call that poor excuse of a mammal back and-"

"That's not going to fix anything," his hard gaze burned into her. "She has narcissistic personality disorder, and I'm pretty sure Amber did, too. It would explain a lot, honestly."

She shook her head again.

"It does, but I still don't like the fact you're not going after her, or letting me do it."

"I never said I wouldn't," he returned. "I just want to give her some time to cool off first. It'll be better for everyone, trust me."

She could only hold his stare a few seconds, her ears drooping against her back when she looked away.

"You do know her better than I do," she sighed. "I just…can't believe someone could say that, especially to their own child!"

"I know," he came back around the counter and knelt in front of her, tipping her chin back with a tender paw. "But the important thing is she managed to get herself out of that situation, and now she'll have all of us to help her get through this."

He kissed her forehead, brushing a tear that had started to sneak down her cheek.

"I'll go look for her, you stay here in case she comes back."

She smiled at him, stepping back as he got up and went to the door.

"I'm not sure how long it'll take," he said over his shoulder. "I'll text you when I find her."

She nodded, her smile fading after he slipped out, as she thought about everything she'd heard just a few minutes ago. How could anyone treat their own kit that way, whether they were ill somehow or not?

 _Nick's right, she managed to get away from it,_ she thought. _And I know we're not the only ones who want to help her through this. We'll all be there for her, whenever she needs us._

* * *

Nick settled back on the couch, staring up at the ceiling. Just as he'd thought, Alice had gone to the lobby, where he'd found her and Finnick tucked in a hidden corner, a tolerantly annoyed look on the smaller fox's face as she'd hugged him to her chest like a plush. He'd glared at Nick's snickering, mouthing his usual threat before turning away and ignoring him completely. He hadn't caught sight of Nate since their confrontation in the hall, and he hoped it would stay that way.

 _Dumbass has taste, I'll give him that,_ he thought, one ear flicking as he heard the soft creak of the nursery door, then the tap of Judy's claws on the floor. The smile that had started to spread across his face dropped when he turned to her, when he saw the slip of paper she held up in front of her. A ticket for the train to Willow, where his father's family lived, and his mother's next stop.

"I found this while I was putting the laundry away," her eyes narrowed further. "I take it you were planing on me not finding out until I was already on the train, waiting for you to come back from the little fox's room?"

He cringed, that had pretty much been the plan. He sighed, shoving a paw through his headfur as he dragged himself to his feet.

"I didn't say anything because I knew you'd react like this, Judy," he started plainly. "You're too damn proud to accept the fact that mammals want to help you, and it has nothing to do with you being a 'cute little bunny'!"

She glared up at him, practically shaking in anger.

"It has _nothing_ to do with my species, Nick, you know that!" she crushed the ticket in her fist, throwing it at his feet. "But it has _everything_ to do with _you_ making decisions for me, again! I thought you trusted me!"

"I _do_ trust you," he shouted back, looming over her. His teeth flashed in the light cast by the lamps. "But _you_ have to remember that we don't have just ourselves to look out for anymore!"

He jabbed a finger toward their son's room, amazed the kit hadn't started crying yet.

"I'm not about to let that psycho get near either of you," he let his paw drop, his eyes getting misty. "I'd never be able to forgive myself if something happened, especially if we could have avoided it!"

"But going behind my back like that, just because you 'knew I'd react like this'?" she swiped the bitter tears from her eyes. "Y-You're acting just like Darwin!"

She gasped, covering her mouth with both paws as she stared up at him, seeing the horrified look on his face. Then his expression went flat, and he abruptly turned, storming toward the door. She ran after him, grabbing his wrist, crying openly when he didn't look back at her.

"Nick, I'm sorry!" she tugged on him. "I-I didn't mean that, I swear!"

He just stood there, shoulders rigid, his other paw clenched tightly on the knob. Finally, he shoved out a sigh, pulling easily out of her grip.

"I know," he still wouldn't face her. "And I'm not gonna do something stupid like get plastered and probably sleep with some random girl, if that's what you're worried about."

He wrapped his tail around her ankles, glancing at last over his shoulder.

"I'm just going to wander around the building for a while, give us both space to cool off before one of us says something else we'll regret," he brushed the tip of his tail along her hip, then dragged it away from her. "I'll be back in an hour or so, I've got my phone on me."

He'd just started to open the door when she jumped in front of it, kicking it shut again. Before he could react, she leapt up, taking his collar as she balanced herself on his thighs, tears once again starting to trickle down her cheeks.

"I-I'm not letting you go," she said softly. "Not without this."

She kissed him, resisting the urge to slip her tongue past his parted lips. It was his call if it went further, or if it stopped. He just stood there, one paw pressed against the door, the other having instinctively cupped her rear to keep her from falling. She was about to end it herself when he moved, his muzzle shifting just a bit against hers, a soft sigh brushing her cheek as he started to return the kiss. He straightened, the paw he'd used to catch himself coming to rest gently on her back, her own slipping further up his chest to drape around his neck.

"I know what I did was under-pawed," he whispered when it ended. "But you have to understand that I was just trying to protect you."

"I know," she rubbed her nose against his. "And I know how stubborn I can be, but I would've gone if you'd just explained everything to me. I'm reckless, not stupid."

He chuckled, lifting her higher to nuzzle into the fragrant fur beneath her chin.

"You sure about that last one?" he asked. "You married a dumb fox like me, after all."

She rolled her eyes, then tilted his snout to kiss him again. He did deepen it this time, his tongue playing gently with hers before he pulled away.

"I'll text your mom," she said, getting lost in how his eyes glowed in the dim light. "I'll take the train out there tomorrow."

"Thank you," he brought her down, holding her against his chest as he walked to the couch. He kept her in his lap when he sat down, stroking her ears as they enjoyed the rare quiet. She let one of her paws slide from his shoulder, loving how sturdy his arm felt beneath her fingers, a blush burning through her when he flexed.

"Oh, wow…" she couldn't get enough. He smirked down at her.

"Still think I'm getting soft?"

She giggled, smiling coyly back at him as she dragged one claw slowly down his chest, flicking open the buttons of his shirt as she went.

"I don't recall ever saying that," her smile grew as she pushed the cloth aside, and she buried her face in his fur, pulling in deep breaths filled with his thick scent. "Oh, Nick…"

He moaned, his head falling back as she licked his neck, gasping sharply when she bit down. He grabbed her ears, tugging just hard enough to make her lift her head, her heart pounding when she saw the look in his eyes, how he licked his lips before pressing them hard against hers. He reached behind her to unzip her dress, guiding the short sleeves off her arms, moaning again when her fur laid bare against his.

"Oh, Judy…" he barely gave himself enough time to whisper it before kissing her again, her legs hooking around his waist when he started moving, and soon her back met the cushions, Nick looming over her just like before. Only this time, there was no anger, no fear, just unrestrained passion and lust. "I love you, I love you so much…"

The words were hot against her cheeks, his weight pressing down on her in all the best ways. She whimpered, grinding her hips against his, feeling his clothed arousal as it pulsed at her entrance.

"I love you, Nick," she managed through her gasps. Her foot thumped the air when he licked the fur above her panties, his eyes glowing with mischief as he took his sweet time, ending his taste of her with a long, soft slurp at her chin. "More than my own life!"

She clutched his head as he nipped at her neck, her legs clenching harder on his hips, forcing him closer. It had been way too long since they'd last been able to do this, and she wasn't about to waste another second. Her paws darted between them, undoing his belt and slacks, intent on shoving them right off of him.

Until a dark shape above made her roaring blood freeze.

"Oh god…" she couldn't even track the movement. All she saw was Nick's face twist in pain, then go blank as he toppled to the floor, completely still. The next second, a paw slammed over her mouth and nose, her vision soon starting to swim.

Her last sight was a pair of glowing eyes, vacant and cold, a wide, harsh smile stretched across the mammal's lips.

"Game over, _sweetie._ "


	42. Calling All the Monsters

Nick groaned, coughing harshly as he fumbled blindly for something to hold onto. He found the edge of the couch and slowly pulled himself up, pressing his other paw to the dull pain that pulsed across the back of his head. He licked his dry lips, the salty aftertaste clinging to his tongue telling him he had been drugged.

 _W-What the hell happened?_ He and Judy had just started making love, had barely gotten half their clothes off before the world had gone black. He trembled as he climbed slowly to his feet, claws digging into the arm of the couch as his vision swam, but he fought the urge to lie back down, to just let the fog in his brain take over again. He had to move, had to make sure his family was safe.

He threw open the door to the nursery, his stomach dropping through the floor when he saw Terry's crib was empty, the gauzy cream curtains fluttering. He shot to the window, seeing it was unlatched, propped up with a bunny-sized alphabet block. The fire escape on that side of the building was designed for smaller mammals and had just been replaced. His heart starting to pound, he tore across the hall, his blood freezing when he saw that room was empty too.

"No…" his legs gave out, and he buried his face in his paws. "No…No!"

He didn't let his despair keep hold of him for long. In a few minutes, he swiped at his eyes, pulling in ragged breaths as he forced himself back to his feet, anger starting to spark through his veins when he saw the recorder on the bed. Storming over, he snatched it up, the cheap black plastic nearly cracking in his grip. He stabbed the small play button with a claw, his gut roiling for a whole new reason as the song started playing. The only difference was it hadn't been sped up like the others.

 _'_ _If you're only dreamin'_

 _'_ _Why I can hear you screamin?'_

 _'_ _Tonight all the monsters gonna dance'_

Oh, they were definitely going to dance, he would make sure of it. He went for his phone, not surprised to find it missing from his pocket. This mammal hadn't made anything easy for them so far, it didn't make any sense for them to start now.

 _'_ _You stayed in too late to be getting afraid'_

 _'_ _This scene's extreme'_

 _'_ _I-I-I'ma get you so scared!'_

He growled, hitting pause and throwing it back on the bed before changing into his uniform in record time. He shoved it in his pocket, not surprised to find his keys missing from the bowl by the door. He skipped the curtesy phone at the desk in the lobby, it had been dead the last week, anyway. The street was busy as ever when he got outside, mammals of all sizes giving him a wide berth as he hailed down a taxi, the portly beaver behind the wheel swallowing hard when she felt the rage flowing off him.

"Precinct One," he stated flatly. "Make it quick."

She nodded, hitting the gas before he'd even buckled up, blinking when he tossed her twice the fare. He didn't give her a chance to speak, slamming the door and bolting inside before she'd even pulled away from the curb. Bogo was at the front desk, talking with Officer Whitetail, the older doe in charge on the night dispatch. His arm was still in a cast and sling, a grimace on his face each time he breathed, but he still managed to scowl at Nick when he saw the fox practically skid to a stop on the polished white tiles.

"I thought I made myself clear, Wilde," he started, only for Nick to cut him off.

"There's no time for that, Chief," he took a second to catch his breath. "Terry and Judy have been kidnapped!"

"What?!" Bogo stared at him, then shook his head. Behind him, Whitetail had already started informing the units on the streets. Nick swallowed hard, barely keeping his temper in check.

"J-Judy and I were in the loft, Terry was already asleep," he started, his hackles raising along his spine. "I get hit over the head, black out, and they're gone when I wake up, pretty sure I was drugged, too."

"Did you see who did this?" Bogo started toward the bullpen, where the rest of the mammals on the night shift were waiting for roll call. Nick shook his head, almost having to run to keep pace.

"No, they must have been hiding behind the couch while we were, uh," he stopped, clearing his throat. "The nursery window was unlocked and propped open, that's where they got in."

"What about that cousin of yours?"

Nick nearly tripped on his own tail as he stopped short.

"Shit, I can't believe I forgot about her!" he shoved his paws through his headfur. "S-She was with Finnick in the lobby last time I saw her, just before all this started."

"Then it's likely she's still with him," Bogo rubbed his chin. "Do you have any way of contacting her?"

"No, the Mistress took my phone and I couldn't find Judy's, the landline in the lobby's been disconnected for days," he started to turn, to rush to the nearest phone, only to have Bogo's heavy hoof fall on his shoulder.

"You're sure that mammal is behind this?" he asked seriously. Nick shook him off.

"Of course I'm sure," he jabbed a paw in his pocket and brought out the recorder. "This was on the bed when I looked in our room, it's all the proof I need."

Bogo's eyes narrowed, and he gripped Nick's shoulder again.

"We'll find them, Wilde," he said. "I can promise you that."

Nick looked up at him, then nodded once.

"I never doubted it, Chief," he dragged in a deep breath as Bogo took his hoof away, trying to force himself to calm. "I'm gonna check up on Alice, I have to make sure she's safe, too."

* * *

Judy's head was pounding, the acrid sting of vomit clogging her nose. She could barely turn her head enough to see the room, fresh pain flaring behind her eyes as the overhead lights flickered on, burning unsteadily down on a small, garbage-strewn room. She could barely feel the cold bite of steel at her wrist, that paw limp and numb. Failing to blink away tears, she reached out as far as she could with the other, expecting to feel the rough, cracked concrete floor. Instead, her fingers brushed across something soft, almost luxuriously so, and she finally noticed the warm weight across her back, the tropical scent of detergent joining that of the puke and the dampness of mold.

 _W-What the hell happened?_ She drew her arm back to her chest, her heart stopping when she realized she was naked. _W-Where are my clothes?!_

"I haven't touched you like that, if that's what you're worried about," a deep voice, smooth and confident cut through her panic. "I like my girls awake and active."

A blurred figure, silhouetted against the lights, knelt down by her head, adjusting the cuffs so she could pull her other arm mostly beneath the blanket. Gentle fingers caressed the side of her face.

"You threw up after we brought you here," they continued. "So we tossed your clothes, and you're welcome for me brushing your teeth afterward. It did let me find out you have almost no gag reflex, so that's a plus."

Of course she didn't, with how many times she'd taken Nick's—

"Nick…" she could barely mumble it. What had they done to her? They brushed a claw across her lips, the slight shake of their head enough to make hers spin.

"We didn't bring him here, and it's too late, anyway," they slid that claw into her mouth, lightly tracing her large front teeth. She couldn't even move enough to try and bite them. "We've already gotten things started, and that's all you need to know."

Her sluggish blood turned icy when they pulled a needle from their pocket, folding down the blanket just enough to expose one slim shoulder.

"You could've escaped this, you know, if you'd stayed away from him, but you just couldn't help yourself, could you?"

She coughed, wincing as the tip pierced her arm.

"D…Don't you dare…h-hurt him," she managed, her tongue already feeling thick and useless. They covered her with the blanket again.

"He brought this on himself," they countered coldly, capping the syringe again before dropping it back in their pocket. "But it's nothing I have to explain to you, you don't deserve to hear it yet."

They cupped her chin, their fingers digging in as they forced her head up, the harsh angle making her choke.

"But when this is all over, I might just tell you, if you promise to leave him in the trash where he belongs."

She wanted to scowl at them, but she couldn't even get her eyes to focus.

"N-Never," it took all her strength just to force the words out. "I-I…love…him…"

The world started fading again, her eyelids getting heavy. The last thing she heard was a sigh, their next words almost apologetic.

"He's really gotten to you, hopefully I can still change that."

They let her go, her head dropping dully against the fabric beneath her. It really was warm, and it wasn't like she had much of a choice. She settled down into it, letting herself finally drift away.

 _Nick…Terry…I'm so…_

* * *

They straightened when she was asleep, their lips pressed together in a disappointed frown. The last thing they had wanted to do was hurt her, but as they'd told her, she hadn't given them any choice.

 _She'll understand, though,_ they tried to assure themselves. _She's smart, she'll understand once I explain everything._

They walked quickly off, knowing they'd already spent too much time with her. One ear flicked when the phone buzzed at their hip, built to be untraceable after the call just like all the others.

"She's secure," they answered, knowing the mammal on the other end never answered first.

 _"Good, and make sure she stays that way,"_ the voice was altered as always. _"We don't need her getting any of her stupid ideas."_

Their mouth ticked down in a scowl.

"You're going to keep your end of the deal this time, right?" they asked. "I didn't like being hung up to dry last time."

 _"Relax, you'll get what's coming to you,"_ the static in the background increased for a few seconds, then died back down. _"You'll get everything ready_ on time, _won't you?"_

"Of course," they rolled their eyes, sick of this mammal questioning their abilities. "I'm going to take care of it now."

 _"Perfect!"_ that freaky-ass digital giggle filtered through, sending a shard of ice down their spine. _"I'll be around as soon as I can to help, so you just get things started, okay?"_

They ducked into another room, kneeling down to throw the needle into the small old stove that was always burning. It did almost nothing to fight back the moist chill, but it was still hot enough to do what they needed it to. Cradling the old cell with their shoulder, they zipped up their jacket, pausing to inhale the scent that lingered on their shirt. It was light, fruity and earthy, the closest to heaven they'd ever been.

"Yeah, I got it," they sniffed, wiping their arm on their sleeve. God, they hated this place, but it would all be worth it, if things kept going according to plan. "See you when you get here or whatever."

That giggle again.

 _"Already on my way, sweetie, see you soon!"_

The line went dead, and they snapped the useless phone easily in half, dropping the pieces on the stained floor and crushing each beneath their feet.

 _I can't take any chances, not this time,_ they kicked at the remains, scattering them among the rest of the junk that filled every room. _We're too damn close to screw up now._

With that done, they headed back on their way, shivering again as they imagined what was still in store, as if this whole thing hadn't been crazy enough. But if it meant they'd get what they were after in the end, then he didn't care how bad it got. All they had to do was keep their eyes on that prize and stick it out until the end, and it wasn't like they had much longer to wait, anyway, if what that mammal said was true.

 _They haven't given me any real reasons to doubt them so far,_ they stopped outside another door, digging in their other pocket for the key that unlocked it. The muted sobs on the other side seemed to float on the quiet that blanketed the place. They'd gotten used to that a long time ago, though, there hadn't really been any choice. _Soon, we'll both get what we want, and that's all that matters._

They twisted the nob and pushed the door open, a harsh, eager smile stretching across their face when they mammal cowering against the wall. Bound, gagged, and completely at their mercy, just the way they liked it.

"Rise and shine, honey," their voice dripped with cruelty. "Time for the two of us to have some fun."

* * *

 _Calling All the Monsters- China Anne McClain_


	43. Cut

_"_ _Nick?"_ Alice was confused. _"Fin and I just got back to the loft, I thought we were having a dinner thing tonight?"_

Nick swallowed.

"Change of plans," he managed as calmly as he could. "I need you guys to come down to the precinct."

 _"_ _What do you mean?"_ she was getting worried. _"Where are you guys?"_

"I'll explain later," he said, drumming his claws on the edge of his desk. "Just get here as soon as you can."

 _"_ _O-Okay, Nick, if that's what you need,"_ she turned away from the phone, her next words muffled. _"You hear all that, Fin?"_

 _"_ _Yeah, I got it!"_ the fennec sounded ticked as always. Nick shoved out a breath.

"Like I said, I'll explain everything when you get here, we're gonna have some questions for you, anyway."

 _"_ _You know you're not making me any less nervous,"_ she returned flatly, and he managed to chuckle. _"But we'll head out in a minute, I just have to grab something first."_

"Great, see you soon," he hung up, then slumped over his desk, letting more tears escape. Nine mammals were already dead, and now the brightest lights of his life were about to pay that same price, all because he hadn't been good enough to find this killer.

 _How could I have let this happen,_ he berated himself silently. _What the hell kind of cop am I?_

He barely moved when he heard footsteps behind him, the smooth, almost silent stride telling him exactly who it was.

"I know what you're gonna say, Chief," he said flatly, shoving his keyboard aside as he collapsed further. "I'm not going home unless Judy and Terry go back with me."

He expected the buffalo's usual 'I don't care' shtick, not the hoof that came down to grip his shoulder.

"I can't begin to imagine what you must be going through, Wilde," he started. "And while I should send you home, possibly in cuffs to keep you under control, I also know you stand the best chance of finding this mammal."

Nick finally looked up, his dull, exhausted eyes filled with confusion.

"Sir?"

"I'll admit, I had my doubts when you said you wanted to join the academy," the bull went on. "I still didn't think smaller mammals could handle it, and that Hopps was just the exception to that rule."

He rubbed the back of his neck, then knelt down, resting his crossed hooves on his knee.

"I'm going to be honest here, the first time I saw your scores, I thought you had to be cheating somehow," he shook his head when Nick straightened further, his red-rimmed eyes starting to narrow. "Hopps straightened me out pretty quickly on that; after she explained your history, I understood how you improved so quickly."

Nick's tail twitched. His time as a street enforcer wasn't something he liked thinking about, but he couldn't deny that it had helped him. His work as a conmammal had as well, honing skills like thinking on his feet and how to quickly spot a mammal's tells, both of which were essential in interrogations. He also had a better understanding of how criminals thought, how their webs worked and what made them tick.

"But what does that have to do with-"

His ears perked when Bogo's phone vibrated at his hip, the bull's ears going back when it picked up without him lifting a finger.

 _"_ _Hmm, sounds like that drug didn't last as long as he said it would,"_ the mammal started, voice garbled as always. _"Oh well, things still went just like I wanted, so I guess I can let it slide, just this once."_

Nick didn't bother holding back his growl, anger boiling through his veins as he glared at the lit screen.

"You've killed every mammal I was with before," he snapped. "Why did you have to get my family involved?"

They giggled.

 _"_ _Because this was all part of my plan from the start, sweetie,"_ they said, then giggled. _"I'm afraid I can't tell you where they are just yet, but I'm taking good care of them, and I promise you'll see them soon!"_

Nick's fangs flashed in a snarl, his claws scraping along the plastic arms of his chair as his fists slowly curled.

"You've already done too much to this city," he spat, his bristled tail snapping. "Turn yourself in and let Judy and Terry go!"

They pulled in a breath through their teeth, even that sounding robotic with the voice scrambler.

 _"_ _Oh, I'm sorry, but you see, I just can't do that, sweetie,"_ the smug grin was obvious in their tone. _"You see, they're the most important parts of the plan, and we're so close to the big finale!"_

Nick scoffed.

"So just skip to that and take me, there's no reason to-"

The mammal laughed again.

 _"_ _I'm afraid I can't do that either, because I have to make sure you don't have any reason left to fight me."_

The words sent ice crashing down his spine, the call clicking softly off before he could get his brain to work again. His jaw working silently, he stared up at his boss, looking just as wide-eyed and shell-shocked as he was sure he did.

"P-Please tell me someone was tracing that call…" he begged. " _Please…_ "

Bogo took his phone from its case, his hoof visibly shaking as he tried not to crush it to bits.

"We've tried, but whatever that mammal is contacting us with, the signal's impossible to pin down."

Nick shoved out a breath, then slid from his chair, his gaze locking on his ring before shifting slowly to the frames that crowded the corner of his desk. He'd added a new one, a selfie he'd taken in the break room, Judy cuddled against his chest with Terry nestled in hers. She looked so beautiful with her wide, bright smile and big, glimmering eyes, and his heart nearly burst with love for her, for both of them. Vowing silently to find them, he set his trembling jaw, squaring his shoulders before turning back to Bogo, his eyes shards of burning jade.

"There's only a few parts of the city this mammal hasn't hit yet," he said. "And I think we can take one off the list right away. I doubt they're small enough to do anything in Little Rodentia."

"And you can take the Canal District off that list, too," Jeremy came up behind Bogo, his face set in grim lines. He and Jared had been assigned to the night shift just after the spree had started. "We've got another body."

* * *

Millcreek Crossing was the busiest non-commercial marina in the city. Mammals of all sizes and species kept their boats there, and it was also home to the Waterway Tour, which offered a glimpse of almost every district, along with the juiciest pieces of the city's history. Nick had taken Judy after the Night Howler case, one few things they'd done in those four months that hadn't had anything to do with getting him ready for the academy. The owner, a young giant river otter, was waiting for them at the tall wooden sign that marked the front entrance, endlessly rubbing his paws and worrying his lower lip with his teeth.

"I-I can't believe this is happening," he stared up at them, his greenish-gold eyes wide and filled with fear. "I just can't believe it!"

Nick couldn't bring himself to speak, his throat so tight he could barely breathe. Bogo had tried to order him to stay at the precinct, but he'd refused, no matter how loudly his mind had screamed at him to listen. He had to see for himself who this mammal was, even if it meant possibly living his worst nightmare.

"I was doing my last check before leaving for the night," the otter, Ramon Spitzer, according to his name tag, explained. He led them down the short gravel path to the docks, illuminated by lanterns strung along two rows of rhino-height posts, boats of all types bobbing gently on the current. The one he stopped at was wolf-sized, painted a faded, misty gray, _Wave Slider_ painted in black cursive letters that were starting to chip. "I thought I saw someone disembarking, the family that owns this one is always one of the last to leave, but when I looked again, they were already gone."

He shook his head, scratching through the short scruff between his ears.

"I only turned away for a second or two, and it was so quiet I would've heard if they'd jumped in the water," he shook his head. "I thought it was nothing, but when I got closer, I…"

He gulped, rubbing his paws again.

"I-I thought I smelled blood," his stutter was back. "And with all those murders on the news, I figured it'd be best to call you guys."

"CSI's already on the way," Jeremy spoke up, then focused on Nick. "You're the only one who'll be able to look around on that thing until they get here, think you can manage on your own?"

Nick gulped, trying and failing to steady his nerves.

 _No,_ he admitted silently. _I don't want to be anywhere near this place, but I don't have a choice. I have to know who it is, I_ have _to._

"I'll be fine," he forced himself into bad cop mode, the cold, careless demeanor he saved for the worst criminals. "I'll radio if I find anything."

Jeremy nodded, leaning back against a post and focusing on the carved sign looming over the trail in the distance. Nick swallowed one last time before walking across the short gangplank, his stomach dropping when Ramon's fear was proven true. There was blood on this boat, though not too much since the smell was so hard to catch through the mixed ones of the wolves and open water. He followed the trail to the cabin, a surprisingly spacious area below deck, his heart shuddering when he saw the source of it. A tiny brain was lying in plain sight on the counter of the kitchenette, the dark, grayish-pink surface still glinting wetly in the lights that had been left on overhead, blood running in rivulets to the crimson puddle surrounding it. He swallowed the burn threatening to spill from his throat, forcing himself to keep moving.

 _'I may seem crazy, or painfully shy'_

 _'And these scars wouldn't be so hidden'_

 _'If you would just look me in the eye'_

The music started the second he crossed the threshold, and he looked down to see a small motion detector, wired to the little speaker that sat just behind it. This one wasn't sped up, either, the voice sad and haunting.

 _'I'm not a stranger, no, I am yours'_

 _'With crippled anger, and tears that still drip sore'_

 _'But I do not want to be afraid'_

Afraid was putting it mildly. He didn't let himself stop, though, he had to see if there was anything else. It was the first time an organ had ever been left at the scene. He reached the two beds, stacked one atop the other, at the other end of the cabin, the sheets tucked and spotless, completely flat. He soon focused on the only place he hadn't checked, the cracked door leading to the closet of a bathroom. His knees locking, he walked stiffly over, holding his breath as he slowly pushed it the rest of the way open.

Only to let it out in a horrified scream, the sound fading as the world around him started going black, tunneling in on the sight before him. An empty, shadowed and bloodied white hole, and the tiny, motionless body it was attached to, dressed in a light blue onesie that was wrinkled and stained, the underside soaked completely scarlet.

 _'Grandma's Little Prince'_

* * *

His mouth was dry when he woke up, the lights overhead so different from the comfortable illumination of the boat. Almost instantly, the images came rushing back, and he fought to move. He had to get away, had to prove this nightmare wasn't real!

"No!" he clenched his eyes shut, tears pouring down his cheeks, the sight seared into his mind. He'd been too late, he'd been too late! "T-Terry…"

"It wasn't him, Nick."

He froze at the voice, low and assured, then whipped his head to the side. Jeremy was sitting there, his jaw tight, watching him closely. His words finally registered.

"W-What?"

"Abby found two blood types on that brain," his face stayed impassive, his narrowed eyes flashing with rage and disgust. "Most of it was A-negative, but the rest was O-positive, a match for the body."

Words couldn't describe the relief that flooded Nick then, tainted as it was by the fact another mammal was dead, even worse that it was such a young kit.

"I'm A-negative," he managed after a while. "And Judy's AB-positive, I don't think we _could_ have an O kit."

Jeremy shrugged, then took his phone from his back pocket, tapping at it a moment before leaning forward, turning it around to show Nick the screen. It was a shot of a Missing Mammals poster, the picture a close-up of a bright-eyed red fox kit, hardly more than a month old.

"His name's Hunter Reid," Jeremy provided, since the text was blurred. "He was reported missing just a few days before Judy and Terry were kidnapped."

"Which means it's no coincidence that he ended up on our crime scene," he tugged at his wrists, confusion filling him when he saw they were strapped down. "What the…"

"You had a panic attack when you found Hunter," Jeremy set his phone on the small table next to Nick's bed. "You were pretty combative when the EMTs I called got to the scene, they would've had to tranq you if you hadn't passed out on your own."

He shivered a bit.

"I don't think I've ever heard you scream like that before, and here's hoping I never do again," he tapped his phone screen again to check the time. "They gave you something to help you sleep when you got here, you were out cold all night."

Nick stared at him. He'd already wasted that much time?

"I have to get out of here," he tugged at the soft restraints again, baring gritted teeth in frustration when he couldn't work them loose. "Jeremy, get these things off me!"

The lion just looked at him before slowly shaking his head.

"You've been pushing yourself way too hard lately," he started. "I don't care what Bogo says, I'm not letting you kill yourself to find this guy."

Nick growled at him, fresh tears pooling in his desperate green eyes.

"Damn it, Jeremy, they've got Judy, they've got our _son_! I can't just lay here doing nothing!"

"You've done more than enough already, Nick," Jeremy got to his feet, his maned face impassive. "You may be in charge of this case, but I'm still your superior officer, and I'm ordering you to lie back and recover from all this, and that's the last I'm saying on it."

Nick couldn't believe what he was hearing, that he was being benched just for missing a little sleep. It wasn't the first time, for any of them, and they all knew it wouldn't be the last. He opened his mouth to protest, to beg, anything to make the lion untie him, but Jeremy just shook his head again, got up and walked silently out, the door clicking softly shut behind him. Nick didn't bother shouting after him, knowing there wouldn't be a point. Once the other male made up his mind, there was no going back.

 _I'll just have to convince the doctor he's spewing bullshit,_ he thought vehemently. _My family's at stake here, and I'm_ not _about to just sit on the sidelines and let it happen!_

He turned toward the door, leaning forward and straining his ears. He could barely hear the clammer at the nurses' station, the chatter and other sounds that almost always floated in the background. He'd just have to wait until one of them slipped in to check on him, then he'd have them right where he wanted them.

 _Don't worry, Judy,_ he swallowed his anger, hiding it behind his cool hustler's mask. _I'll come for you as soon as I can, just hang on!_

* * *

 _Cut- Plumb_


	44. Shallow Tides

Alice couldn't remember the last time she'd been so worried. Nick had called her, asking that she and Finnick come down to the precinct as soon as possible. He'd been gone before they'd arrived, Chief Bogo's only explanation being that he had some important business to attend to. It hadn't taken long to figure out what he meant, that there'd been another of those crazy murders, but the scene couldn't have possibly taken this long for him to process, could it?

 _It's already morning,_ she pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms tightly around them. She and Fin had spent the night on one of the huge couches in the break room, though she was surprised either of them had managed to get any sleep. They still hadn't heard anything from Nick, and the whispers she'd heard some of the other officers sharing had all been too quiet for her to pick out the words. _Why isn't anyone_ telling _us anything?_

Her eyes flicked toward her phone, lying silent next to her. The battery had died during the night, but she couldn't focus long enough to even get her charger out of her backpack. All she could think about was the fact her cousin, some of her only family left as far as she was concerned, might be in any one of a hundred kinds of danger, and she couldn't do anything to help him. All she could do was sit there and fret, and she hated it.

 _It would help if someone actually_ told _me something,_ she thought, irritation starting to seep past the fear. She'd always hated being kept in the dark, especially when it concerned someone she cared about. There were a few things she had managed to pick up, though, having wandered through every public part of the building by that point. One of the officers, a llama who hadn't even seemed to notice she was there, had complained the case seemed out of a movie, being so over the top it was almost funny, in a pretty sick sort of way. It didn't help that whoever it was seemed to be a CSI expert, since the only evidence left behind had been from the victims or little better than a dead end. She regretted slipping away after that, having been worried the wolf he'd been talking to would start picking up on her scent if she lingered too long.

Shoving out a breath, she uncurled and reached for her backpack, scooping up her phone and dropping it in the front pocket. She doubted she'd find an outlet small enough in this place, anyway, at least where she was actually allowed to go. There was the copy of The Botticelli Secret she'd borrowed from Judy the other day, a printout of the painting tucked between the pages as an oversized bookmark. She put it aside, knowing she'd never be able to focus on that mystery, not when there was a real one looming so close above her head. The next book was her song journal, with only a few empty pages left.

 _That won't work, either,_ she tossed it aside, writing songs was the last thing she wanted to do right now. Other than that, all she had was a pack of crushed crackers and a warm bottle of water, her stomach too knotted to keep even that little down. _Ugh, this is supposed to be the_ best _police department in the state, how the hell haven't they caught this guy yet?_

She glanced at the door, scowling when she heard the murmur of voices outside it, even a few laughs. They weren't even trying, were they?

 _Foxes are still lower than mosquitos to most mammals here,_ she remembered that much from her early childhood. Sure, most of the mammals she'd asked had said they respected Nick, some had even called him their friend, but she knew the truth. They didn't give two shits about him or Judy, that was why they were dragging their feet so much. That, and most of Nick's exes had been criminals, so of course they wouldn't care about any of them dying, either.

"I know that look."

She jumped a bit, huffing when she saw the light smirk on Fin's face as he climbed up next to her. She'd never understand how someone his size could always take so long in the restroom.

"It's the same one Nick gets when he's about to do something crazy or stupid, and the last thing we need is someone else like him running around, especially with all this shit going on."

She rolled her eyes, shoving her things back in her bag. She would've thought he'd be one of the first to understand.

"You know as well as I do that they're never going to take this case seriously," she tugged the straps over her shoulders and slid to the floor. "I'm just going to let Nick know there's at least _one_ mammal who does besides him."

She turned and stalked out, the flicking tip of her tail held high, not surprised when he made no other attempts to try and keep her back. He'd learned it was a bad idea a long time ago.

 _Don't worry, Nick,_ she assured silently. _No matter what,_ I'll _always be there for you!_

* * *

Judy had only been awake a few minutes when she decided it was time to move. She had to get out of there before that mammal came back, ready to do who-knew-what to her. The other side of the cuffs had been locked around an old pipe on the wall, keeping her trapped between the oversized pillow and the blanket she'd originally woken up under. She knew what she was there for as well as her captor did, so why had they bothered to try and make her comfortable?

 _There's gotta be_ something _around here I can use…_

She scanned the room carefully, her frustration growing when she saw anything that might've been remotely useful was just beyond her reach, an arrangement that had likely been done on purpose. They wanted her to know how helpless she was, how close she could be to getting herself out, but they'd forgotten one important detail.

 _I don't know when to quit._

Her tail twitched in excitement when she spotted the pin, lying forgotten on the floor in an old, dried stain. Nick had spent that first month of his academy prep teaching her everything he knew about life on the streets, including how to pick pretty much any kind of lock she might come across. It was easier if a mammal already had the tools on paw, he'd explained while showing off his own set, but there were several things that could work in a pinch. She looked around again, making sure she was still alone before stretching out, her shoulder starting to burn when she finally managed to reach it, barely able to get enough of a grip to drag it back, breathing through her teeth when the point pierced her claw bed.

 _Okay, that hurts, but at least I got it._

She'd barely tucked her prize under the pillow before she heard footsteps, even and sure, echoing softly down the hall, and a second later the mammal sauntered around the corner.

"Glad to see you're finally up," he strolled in, paws in his pockets, his easy, lopsided smile gleaming with confidence. Judy scowled at him, then turned away, ignoring the bite of warmed steel at her wrist.

"Fuck off, Nate," she snapped. "I'm not in the mood."

He just laughed.

"It wouldn't take me long to change that," he said. "We could give it a try, if you want."

"I know you took my son when you abducted me," she answered coldly, ignoring the taunt. "I want him back."

His breath whistled lightly through his teeth.

"See, that's gonna be kinda difficult," his shadow loomed on the wall as he walked closer. Her chest tightened, but she swallowed the pain.

"And why's that? I know he's here, I've heard him."

He knelt down, taking her shoulder, she shook him off.

"He _was_ here," he corrected her, then leaned closer, his hot breath wafting across her stiff ears. "But I'm afraid he ended up on the last crime scene, or at least, what was left of him."

She froze, feeling like her heart had just ruptured. She kept her back to him, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Y-You're lying!"

"Am I?"

There was a soft rustling, then he reached over her, dropping a large scrap of yellow cloth in the narrow gap between her pillow and the wall. Her blood turning to ice, she grabbed it, unable to hold back a sob when she saw what it was. Part of the onesie Terrance had been wearing when she'd put him to bed, just a few minutes before she and Nick had had that fight about her leaving town. She hugged it tightly to her chest, curling into a ball under the cover, not caring anymore about keeping her emotions hidden. The grief was too much.

"H-How could you?" she choked on the words. "W-Why are you doing this to us?!"

He touched her shoulder again, then rubbed her back almost comfortingly.

"I said you were making a big mistake, didn't I?" he asked before pulling away. "You're just paying for it now, that's all."

She screamed in rage, throwing herself around and lunging toward him, only to be stopped short by the cuffs.

"You're lucky I'm stuck here," she yelled, tears streaking down her cheeks. "Otherwise I'd rip off your legs and shove them up your ass!"

He just crossed his arms, cocking a brow as he looked down at her.

"You wouldn't be in this mess if you'd just left that piece of shit fox," he started smoothly. "In fact, none of this would've happened if you'd just stayed away from him."

She growled, but stayed where she was, pain flaring down her arm. Another lunge like that, and she'd dislocate it completely, leaving her helpless.

"Who the hell is The Mistress?" she demanded instead. "And why the hell did she kill all those mammals? Tell me!"

He just looked at her before reaching slowly behind his back, pulling out a tranq pistol.

"There's no point in spilling that," he turned the safety off, then aimed at her. This close, there was no chance he could miss. "You won't be able to tell anyone, anyway."

He fired, hitting her square in the gut, keeping his distance while the drugs took effect. The last thing she saw was him pulling out a vial before coming slowly toward her again.

"Sweet dreams, Judy," he flashed another grin, his voice dripping with hatred. "Soon they'll be all you've got left."

* * *

Nick couldn't figure out why the MO had suddenly changed. The part removed had never been left at the scene before, and according to the blood samples, Hunter was the only one who hadn't been drugged somehow.

 _It's also one of the only scenes to have that much blood,_ he flipped through his notes. The doctor had finally agreed to release him earlier that afternoon, but Tony hadn't trusted him to be alone, and since the loft was a crime scene, they'd brought him to Jeremy's apartment. The lion sat against the front door in a folding chair, Yamal cleaning up the kitchen from their meager excuse of a late lunch. Nick's first thought had been to try and escape, knowing he could slip past them easily, but he'd decided that going over the details of the case would be a better use of his time. _And why abduct Terry, but kill another kit?_

His stomach twisted, and he fought back bile. The only thing he'd been able to get from them so far had been the names of Hunter's parents, Avery and Carson Reid, who'd reported him missing just two days before his murder.

"It happened in the middle of the night, after everyone in the house was asleep," Yamal came up behind him, leaning over the back of the couch. "She and her husband said they felt sick when they woke up in the morning, and when they went to check on him, he was gone."

He pulled out his own notebook, having been one of the officers who'd responded to the scene.

"There was an alphabet block propping the window open, set so a red M was facing the room," he swallowed. "Just like how it was at your loft."

"Except Terry wasn't taken when we were all asleep," Nick looked over his shoulder, his face fixed in an angry scowl. "I was knocked out first, and he and Judy were already gone when I came to."

"And traces of Rohypnol were found in your system," Jeremy chimed in, not moving from his post by the door. "Enough to keep you down most of the night, it's obvious they wanted to avoid confronting you."

"Makes sense," Yamal came around and sat next to Nick. "I know I like to stay out of the way when you're pissed."

Nick shook his head.

"Judy's just as good a fighter as I am," he reminded them. "They would've had to take her by surprise, and I doubt they could have. I was right on top of her when we were attacked."

His gut tightened again, he couldn't believe he'd let his lust get the better of him. He should've been paying attention!

"It's all my fault," his notebook fell from nerveless fingers, and he curled into himself. He didn't cry, though, having exhausted his tears at the hospital. "This is all happening…because of me…"

"No, it's not," Yamal said firmly, gripping his shoulder. "The only ones at fault are the psycho behind this and the assholes helping them."

"He's right," Jeremy stood, but stayed by the door. "The only thing you did wrong was step in this mammal's sights, and none of us had any way of knowing that this would happen."

Nick just sat there, breathing deeply as he tried to pull himself back together. He shoved his paws through his headfur, dragging his claws down the back of his neck. Losing his mind now was the last thing any of them needed.

"You guys are right, I know that," he swallowed hard. "But that's not going to stop me from feeling guilty. Judy doesn't deserve any of the shit that's happened to her since she met me, even less our son—"

"And you can just stop that bullshit right there," Yamal cut him off, glaring down at him. "You guys are two of the best mammals I've ever known, and it's obvious you belong together. You can't let some crazy, completely unrelated events get in the way of that.

"You'd just be killing yourself and her if you split up," he went on. "Whether you did it to try and protect her or not. It's a pretty good bet she'd also end up resenting you, since she'd feel like you don't trust her to look out for herself."

Nick ground his teeth, his fists tightening on his shorts, grabbed from his locker at the precinct when they'd picked him up from the hospital. Just the thought of Judy possibly hating him was enough to make it feel like he'd been shanked through the chest. He didn't get a chance to respond, though, Jeremy's phone going off just as he opened his mouth.

 _"I guess taking your phone_ was _a little silly,"_ the call picked up without being prompted, the garbled tone smug as always. _"I knew you wouldn't waste time calling when you could just go down to the precinct yourself. Oh, and Terry had a lot of fun with your keys, but I think he might have…_ cut _himself a bit on them."_

Nick's hackles rose, but he kept the growl back, he wouldn't give them the satisfaction again.

"We already know the kit at the scene wasn't him," he snapped. They laughed.

 _"Of course it wasn't, sweetie,"_ they said. _"For the most part, your little kit's still safe and sound, at least for now."_

"Why don't you just give yourself up, you psycho?" Yamal demanded, snatching the phone from its spot on Jeremy's belt. "Why the hell do you keep playing this game with us?"

 _"I_ don't _play games, Officer Stone,"_ they returned flatly. _"And if you think I am, then maybe it's time I…up the ante."_

"What do you mean?" Jeremy questioned, his tail starting to lash through the air behind him. The mammal gave a short giggle.

 _"If you really want to find out, then I suggest sending a team to the West Water Planetarium, but I'm pretty sure you won't like what you find."_

And with that, the call ended, leaving the room cloaked in silence. Jeremy stared at his phone before looking up at them, then hit the precinct's number on his speed dial to call it in.


	45. Smoke and Mirrors

Sitting on the farthest edge of the Marshlands, West Water Planetarium had been closed for renovations for weeks. With Nick basically under house arrest, and Yamal and Jeremy assigned to watch him, Bogo had sent Jared and Stephanie to the scene, the forensics van pulling into the half-empty lot just behind them. The sun was already setting, the wind shaking through the trees adding to the bad vibes that filled the area.

"Ugh, I've always hated this part of town," Jared complained, popping the collar on his jacket. The meager heat from the day was already starting to fade. Stephanie nodded, tucking her tail against her leg to keep it from getting caught in a pile of scrap or rubble.

"It doesn't help we're here because of a psychopath," she ducked under some wires as they headed inside, pulling a paper mask from her pocket and strapping it over her muzzle, pausing as Jared did the same. The work crew hadn't had the chance to clean before they'd had to clear out, wood dust and sanded off paint getting stirred up by their footsteps. "Why do you think they chose this place?"

He shrugged, sidestepping some scaffolding.

"I'm more curious why they've spread this out through every district in the city. What the hell is that about?"

"Probably to try and throw us off the trail," she stopped, her shoulders going stiff. It was hard to smell through the mask, but it was a scent she was sure she'd never forget after all of this. "Hold up, I've got blood!"

"Same here," he drew his gun, zeroing in on a door propped open with a cinderblock, one of the smaller theaters in the place. "I think it's coming from there."

He took the lead, not bothering to switch on the lights when he found them. A worker had called to report some vandalism while they'd been en route, saying the power lines had been cut, the back-up generators dismantled. They'd also mentioned a prank call, something about the place becoming part of one of the biggest cases the city had ever seen.

"The Mistress called Jeremy's phone at about four, when work would've started winding down," he checked his watch. "It's about ten to five now, which means the murder happened when this place was still full of mammals."

"And apparently no one noticed anything out of the ordinary," her voice was full of disbelief. "They even thought the vandalism was just some teens pulling a prank."

They looked at each other, neither of them liking the picture those facts painted. A mammal had been killed just a few yards from an active worksite, and somehow no one had been the wiser. And when they finally found the body, lying in plain view before the front row of seats, it made even less sense.

"Oh god…" Stephanie pressed a paw to her mouth, tears pooling in her eyes. The victim was a gray and white bunny, lying flat on her back, violet eyes staring sightlessly at the black ceiling. She was wearing an unbuttoned Pawaiian shirt, the same one Nick had worn when he and Judy had solved the Night Howler case. Her chest had been cut down the middle, the flaps of skin pinned back to reveal the hole cut into her ribcage, the empty space between her lungs where her heart should have been. The same heart that sat in a pool of blood above her head, just between long, black-tipped ears.

Stephanie turned into Jared's shoulder when he wrapped an arm around hers, his cheeks wet as he glared at the scene.

"It's not Judy," he said, feeling certain. She sniffled, lifting her head to look at him.

"W-What?"

"Look," he pulled away, kneeling by the dead rabbit and pointing to her stomach. "Remember that giant scar she got during the Half and Half Abductions?"

Nick and Judy had thrown a pool party to celebrate his recovery and her divorce, Judy wearing her typical sporty red two piece. Most of the fur had grown back over it by then, but hadn't laid flat like the rest of her coat, the difference just enough to notice. This bunny also wasn't as fit as their coworker, even if it was close.

"So, whoever's behind all this didn't know about that injury," Stephanie wiped her eyes, dragging in a deep breath. She was so relieved it wasn't Judy!

"If the killer hadn't called us here, I'm guessing whoever found her would've mistaken her for Judy, too," Jared got to his feet, stepping back as Abby and her crew started setting up. "Just like Nick did when he saw Hunter on that boat."

She swallowed, following him back to the hall. The main crime scene was secure, so now they could focus on searching the rest of the place. Not that they expected to find much, if the other scenes were anything to go by.

"I'll take outside," he volunteered. She just nodded, still too shocked to say much. He gripped her shoulder again. "You can wait in the cruiser if you need to, it shouldn't take long to check everything out."

She shook her head.

"No," she swallowed, her throat tight. "J-Judy and Terry are likely still alive somewhere, and I want to find them as quickly as possible."

He smiled, batting her once on the back before heading for the door.

"Then let's get started!"

* * *

Their victim's phone had been stashed beneath her body in a sandwich bag. There were only two numbers, her parents and a place called Calming Courses, a massage therapy school a few blocks over from the planetarium. She'd been a student there, and had just gotten a job as an instructor.

"So, Yasmin Peat," Jared stuck a photo of her to the whiteboard with a magnet. It really was freaky how much she looked like Judy, the only differences being fuller lips and slightly shorter ears. "Born and raised in Bunnyburrow, moved to Zootopia two years ago to finish her degree, and not so much as a parking ticket."

"She was also supposed to have dinner with her parents tonight," Stephanie threw down the scrap of paper she'd copied their number on. They'd come to town for the car show being held in the Meadowlands, and since Yasmin had been the first of their one hundred and thirty kits to leave home, they'd been looking forward to seeing her. Her father had also mentioned her being excited about finally introducing them to her girlfriend, that the only things she hadn't told them had been the mammal's name or species. He and his wife were on their way to the precinct now, and she sorely wished it wasn't a corpse they weren't coming to see. "God, I can't begin to imagine what they must be going through…"

"Me, either," Jared slumped down next to her, dragging his claws through his tangled mane. "I can't believe we _still_ don't have anything on this mammal's identity, how is that even possible?"

"Because they got inside help, and plenty of it."

They turned to the door, their jaws dropping when Nick stormed in, tailed by Jeremy and Yamal. They both looked uneasy, keeping their distance as the fox hopped smoothly into an oversized chair, slamming his paws on the table. The fire in his eyes could've melted steel.

"We just had some very _interesting_ talks with a few mammals at City Hall, didn't we, guys?" he glanced over his shoulder, neither of the larger males responding. "They called and said they just _had_ to talk to us, that they 'couldn't handle the guilt anymore'."

His scowl darkened, if that were possible.

"They all told the same story, that they'd gotten an email from some mammal, offering them a lot of cash for jobs right up their alleys," he dragged in a breath, his raised hackles a sign he was barely keeping himself in check. "All they had to do was wait to be contacted again, follow the instructions they were sent, then the money would be transferred to their accounts, in small amounts to avoid suspicion."

He pushed back from the table and half-heartedly straightened his shirt, the muscles in his jaw standing out as he ground his teeth together.

"They were told to slow the investigation down however they could," he went on. "Add extra miles of red tape, lose records, short out one system or another, pretty much any way they could think of."

"A few of them thought about quitting earlier," Yamal continued, staying back by the wall. "But when they told the mammal they were done, that's when they started threatening their families, or getting them fired and blacklisted if they didn't have one. Basically going after whatever was the most important to them, same thing if they went to the cops."

"Then today, they all got one last email, saying their jobs were done and they'd start getting the money soon," Jeremy scoffed. "Somehow, none of them managed to put two and two together, that they'd just spent the last month and a half helping a killer."

Jared and Stephanie looked at each other, their mouths slack, then he shook his head.

"Were you able to trace the IP address for the emails?"

"You mean addresses," Yamal said. "Each round was sent from a different place, on public computers. The addys themselves were always deactivated right after, so we don't even have those to go on."

"No surprise there," Stephanie sat back in her chair, brushing some stray crumbs from her cheek, she was amazed she'd been able to eat anything during lunch. "So, this mammal obviously knows their way around computers, and they're apparently a fan of, uh, whatever Nick called it."

"Nightcore," Nick supplied, looking visibly calmer. "But the last couple songs hadn't been messed with, and this latest one's a cover."

Jared blinked.

"What do you mean? There wasn't any kind of recorder thing at the scene, and you wouldn't have been there to hear it, anyway."

Jeremy took out his phone, pulling up his most recent text conversation before setting it on the table. There were only two messages, a single sentence followed by an audio clip.

 _'Our game's just about over now, sweetie, hope you're ready for it!'_

"And just wait until you hear this one," he tapped the play button, the foggy vocals backed by a soft instrumental.

 _'You said you'd always be my friend'_

 _'That we'd get married when we both got older'_

 _'I'd never heard those words before, they made me long for something more'_

"Sounds like they've had this fantasy for years," Jared mused. "Any idea who might've thought about you like that, Nick?"

Nick shook his head.

"Nothing like this kind of obsession," he shuddered. "The rest is even worse, though."

 _'I know you love me deep inside'_

 _'You're simply caught up in her lies'_

 _'So I will cut you free myself'_

Stephanie leaned back, looking sick, the others not much better.

"I don't even _want_ to think what that might mean," she gulped. "Forget obsessed, this goes way beyond that!"

Her ears perked when her phone rang, and she pulled it out, her eyes going wide when she saw the number.

"Oh my god," she pressed a paw to her mouth. "It's Judy!"

She quickly accepted the call, putting it on speaker.

"Judy!" her paw shook as she gripped it. "Judy, are you okay?"

The tinny, raspy breathing was all they heard for the longest time, a sound like pebbles falling before she finally answered.

 _"I-I've been way better, Steph,"_ the bunny hissed. _"I-I found Nick's phone here, and you were the first mammal I thought to call!"_

Stephanie glanced up to see Nick had gone stiff, his nose and ears paling in horror.

"Where are you?" she focused back on the call, wincing when her friend cried out.

 _"N-No idea, i-it's just…really run down,"_ she was panting, was she running from something? _"B-But I know who the killer is!"_

She cried out again, and it felt like hours passed before she finally spoke.

 _"I-It's—Aaah!"_

A piercing scream, then the line went dead, only to come back to life seconds later.

 _"It's where you sad excuses for cops leave us 'trash species' to die,"_ the altered voice, buzzing with feedback. _"I'm sure you can figure out the rest."_

The call cut off, plunging the room into silence. They all stared at the phone in Stephanie's palm before looking to each other, still trying to process what they'd just heard.

"I know where they're talking about," Jeremy finally said. "It's Happytown."

"Yeah, but where?" Jared asked. "That whole area's run down, and that's the good part!"

"We'll split up and search the streets," Nick jumped to the floor, his eyes blazing again. "That mammal's not getting away this time!"

* * *

 _Smoke and Mirrors- Jayn_


	46. I Won't Give Up

_Finally!_

Judy cheered internally as the cuff clicked open, and she pulled her wrist free, flexing her paw to try and get the feeling back in her fingers. She winced when she saw the circle of raw and bruised skin, blood dyeing the patches of fur that hadn't been rubbed off during her struggle. Grabbing the thin blanket, she tore off a strip with her teeth, wrapping it around the wound and tying it off. She'd worry about finding clothes later.

 _Right now, it's time to get out of here._

Staying against the wall, she crept to the doorway Nate had left through earlier, slowly spinning the pin in her fingers. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. The only problem was, she had no idea where Nate had taken her. The last thing she remembered before waking up on that pillow was lying beneath Nick, still wrapped around him as he'd been cracked over the head, a paw getting pressed to her face before she passed out. Whoever that shadow had been, they'd be lucky to get away in one piece.

 _You fucked with the wrong bunny,_ sweetie.

She perked up when she spotted a door, the lower half of the exit sign lying in jagged shards on the floor. She stopped when she saw the shadow, ducking behind the corner when Nate passed by, pausing to scan the hall, his ears and nose twitching as his eyes narrowed.

"You're not as smart as you think, Judy," he called. "You really think that pin was left there by accident?"

She just scowled, biting her tongue to keep from screaming at him. She could deal with him later, right now, there was something more important to worry about. When she knew he was gone, she took off in the direction he'd come from, peeking past any door she came across, each time silently praying that she'd find something useful. She'd just about given up on that when she reached the last one, pushing it open to find a crate of black flip phones, with a few other models and colors scattered throughout.

 _Mine's probably in there, too!_

Sneaking forward, she knelt down behind it, wishing once again that she had a predator's night vision. The only light can in from the hall, and even out there was barely enough for her to see. She didn't let it stop her, picking slowly through the phones, putting aside the ones that didn't match. They likely belonged to the victims, and there was no telling how much use they might be when piecing the case together for the trial, if Nate and whoever else might've been behind this lived to reach that point.

Her ears drooped when she found Nick's phone, the screen scratched, the protective blue case cracked. She wasn't surprised to find it here, though, this mammal wasn't exactly known for being easy on them. It wasn't much longer before she found hers, smiling slightly when she saw the green apple charm Nick had bought her still hanging from the corner. But the battery was almost drained, she'd have to make this quick.

 _I shouldn't stay here, though, it's too risky,_ she pushed the other phones under a tarp that had been thrown across some rubble, staying low as she crept back to the door. Nate passed in the hall again, giving the door, cracked slightly open just like she'd spotted it, no more than a cursory glance before moving on. Letting out a slow breath, she slipped out and went the other way, wondering how much longer she'd be able to give him the slip.

She ducked behind another corner, her heart racing as she typed in her passcode, her paws trembling as she reminded herself that Nick wouldn't answer, and she keyed in the first number that came to mind.

 _"_ _Judy!"_ Stephanie sounded like she was holding back tears. _"Judy, are you okay?"_

Judy didn't get a chance to answer before she heard the soft scrape of claws on concrete, taking off deeper into the maze of halls and rooms.

"I-I've been way better, Steph," she finally hissed, leaning against another crate while she caught her breath. She was starting to get dizzy, what the hell had Nate stuck her with? "I-I found Nick's phone here, and you were the first mammal I thought to call!"

She barely managed to keep her voice down, ice flowing through her veins when she heard footsteps again, just how many mammals were in this place?

 _"_ _Where are you?"_ Stephanie still sound scared. Judy couldn't hold back a cry as she stumbled on some debris, a metal beam that had fallen from the ceiling cutting deep into her thigh.

"N-No idea," she managed, breathing hard through the pain. "I-It's just…really run down. B-But I know who the killer is!"

She gasped sharply as she pushed herself forward, wishing she'd thought to tear off more of that sheet.

"I-It's…" she turned another corner, freezing when she saw the mammal lying there, cream and russet fur peeking out from a dirty, half-buttoned shirt, half-lidded eyes glazed over in death. She couldn't hold back her anguished scream, cut short when a tranq pierced her stomach. The mammal stepped out from behind another pile, dressed in a black body suit, complete with mask, gloves and tail cover. They swiped up the phone that had slipped from her grasp, their eyes narrowing when they saw the number on the screen.

"It's where you sad excuses for cops leave us 'trash species' to die," their modified voice was thick with disdain. "I'm sure you can figure out the rest."

* * *

She was cuffed again when she came to, this time on her knees with both paws behind her, the short chain looped around another pipe. It took a few minutes for her head to clear, her vision centering on the charcoal buck across from her. Nate was sitting on a crate across from her, a disappointed scowl on his face.

"You could've avoided all this, you know," he said simply. "If you'd just left with me when I wanted you to."

She groaned, his condescending tone already getting on her last nerve.

"Y-You lied from the beginning, didn't you?" she felt like she'd swallowed sandpaper. "Y-You _didn't_ just move here, and you _knew_ Nick and I were married!"

He just looked at her, then sighed, his foot slipping off his knee as he stood up.

"You're right on one of those counts," he started. "I've lived in the city a few years, but I didn't start keeping an eye on you until recently."

He huffed a breath across his claws before shining them on his shirt.

"I honestly thought you were the most amazing girl I'd ever seen," he went on, putting his arms behind his head. "You're smart, you're brave, you're beautiful, but let's face it, you've got bad taste in guys."

She glared at him, she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"If you mean Darwin, then let me clear a few things up," she swallowed, wishing he was close enough so she could spit in his face. "My family arranged our marriage completely behind my back and blackmailed me into going along with it, and he not only tried to make Nick and I lose our jobs, he tried to _murder_ him, with the same gun he'd stolen from _me_!"

She tugged at the cuffs, her head starting to spin a bit.

"And as for Nick, he is the _best_ mammal I've ever known, and so much more than I deserve," she didn't fight the tears when the memories came. "N-No matter what I did, how badly I treated him, he always forgave me, he was always there for me!"

She could feel the rust flake off the pipe when she struggled again, hoping it was bad enough for her to get herself loose. All she had to do was keep this asshole distracted.

"I'd spent so long craving my family's support and approval, I blinded myself to the fact I was falling for him, told myself it was just a stupid crush that wouldn't go anywhere," the guilt was clawing at her, just like it had when she'd realized the truth back then. "But then I realized I was just destroying myself _and_ him, and that I didn't give two shits what my family thought, since it was obvious they didn't give even one about me!"

Was the pipe really starting to give way? She was almost there!

"So go ahead and say whatever you want, Nate," she snapped. "I love Nick, and I'd rather die than hurt him like that again!"

She was panting when she finished, and she could feel herself shaking. A normal tranq would have worn off already, what the heck had she been hit with? Nate just looked at her again, then shook his head.

"I wish I didn't have to be the one to tell you this," he rubbed the back of his neck. "But better you hear it now than later."

He swallowed, actually looking regretful.

"Nick's already dead, the Mistress took care of him the first time you were unconscious," he let his paw drop. "I'm sorry, Judy, I really am."

Judy's heart froze, pain shooting through her chest. She stopped fighting, Nick's laugh echoing through her head as his face flashed before her eyes.

"No…" her gut twisted. First her son, now her husband, she couldn't believe it, she wouldn't believe it! "Y-You've done nothing _but_ lie to me, w-why should I believe you now?!"

He simply reached into the crate he'd been sitting on, pulling out a red neckerchief, the same one she'd never known Nick to go anywhere without. But she didn't let the torrent of grief overwhelm her. Instead, she channeled it, turning it into the whitest rage she had ever felt.

"I'm going to make you pay for this," she growled softly, then slowly lifted her head, her pupils lost in a sea of scorching violet. "You're gonna pay for everything you've done to us!"

She yanked on the cuffs again, the rust-eaten pipe finally giving way, throwing herself in a forward roll as it clattered noisily to the ground. Landing in a crouch, her paws now in front of her, she launched herself at him, leaping high and slamming her foot into the side of his face, sending him careening into a pile of trash. Taking off again before he'd even gotten back to his feet, she hooked her paws together, screaming in rage as she drove them into his gut, knocking the wind out of him before he'd even gotten it back.

She jumped away then, ignoring the burning pain in her thigh as she watched him struggle, an almost manic glee filling her. So this was what it was like to be a predator, to know her prey was helpless, that she was the only thing standing between him and the grave.

"I'll make sure you rot in jail for the rest of your life," she straightened, circling him as he tried to regain his bearings. "That you never get the chance to hurt anyone again!"

She growled when he started laughing, blood running from his mouth and nose, standing out against his pale blue shirt.

"Y-You really don't know when to quit, do you?" he asked before cracking up again. He picked up a rock and tossed it, and Judy knew she'd made a mistake when she ducked, barely able to counter it when he dashed at her, a boxcutter clasped tightly in his fist. He was strong, and even with her own strength and training, she still had the disadvantage of being cuffed. It wasn't long before he had her pinned against the wall, his other paw clamping hard around her neck, her feet dangling several inches above the floor.

"I didn't want to hurt you," he growled through his teeth. "But you brought this on yourself."

Judy clawed at his wrist, fighting to breathe as she watched him raise the blade, doing the only thing she could think to. She jammed her knee between his legs, wincing as he cried out, dragging in grateful breaths when his grip loosened. She managed to pry his fingers off, diving for the box cutter when it slipped from his other paw, getting hold of it just as he went for her again. She lashed out blindly, her ears ringing at his pained screech, and she could barely keep from retching when she saw where she'd hit him.

He'd fallen to his knees, paws pressed to his face, trying in vain to staunch the flow of blood from what was left of his right eye.


	47. Catch Me if You Can

Judy couldn't believe what she had just done, keeping her fingers clenched around her makeshift weapon. Nate was still yelling, tears spilling down the left side of his face. But even with how much trouble he'd caused for her, how good she'd felt for those few seconds while hunting him, she hadn't meant to hurt him so badly. Not turning her back to him, she crept toward the crate, grabbing the neckerchief and tossing it to him.

"I-I can call an ambulance," she managed, her eyes locked on the mangled mess she'd made of his face when he reached for it. "B-But I'll need a phone, and an address. I can-"

"You can shut the fuck up," he growled through clenched jaws, his good eye boiling when he glowered at her. "I don't need any help from someone like you."

She moved so her back was to the wall, keeping the boxcutter in front of her. She wasn't about to let him get close again.

"Please, Nate," she begged him, though she wasn't sure why. He'd helped murder who knew how many innocent mammals, kidnap and kill some of the last true family she had, how could she possibly feel any kind of compassion for him? "I-I just want to help you!"

"Why?!" he shouted, glaring at her again. "After everything I've done to you, why do you care?!"

She froze, not sure how to explain it.

"I-I came here to make the world a better place," she tried anyway. "I want to help as many mammals as I can, and I know this mammal's been manipulating you, but I can get you out of it! I can help you!"

He just stared at her, then barked an incredulous laugh.

"You don't get it, do you?" he asked. "If I go against her, she'll make me watch while she kills my family, while she kills you!"

He dragged in a breath and reached for the neckerchief, balling it up before pressing it to his ruined eye.

"I'm just a pathetic piece of shit, Judy," he went on. "The truth is, she called and paid me to try and seduce you, to get you away from Nick and Terry. When that didn't work, and I finally found out why, I told her I wanted out, that she could take care of this twisted plan herself. But it backfired."

He reached in his pocket and pulled out his phone, setting it on the floor and sliding it toward her.

"I'll explain the rest after I've been arrested, right now we've gotta get your son away from her. I don't have a passcode on that thing," he added, watching as she slowly bent to pick up the phone. "And I don't know the address, but we're in the old Helping Paws Homeless Shelter, in Happytown."

 _Happytown…_ the poorest area of the city, where the local precinct had been all but shut down. It was where most of the city's weasels, foxes and other species deemed untrustworthy lived, stealing from and killing one another just for a chance to survive. Exactly the kind of place she so hoped to change one day.

"O-Okay," she dialed Ben's number, knowing he answered whether he recognized the number or not. "But how will they find us? This place is huge!"

His face still scrunched in pain, Nate nodded toward a small table made of scrap wood and rope.

"She's got another of her little recorders in there somewhere," he was starting to look dizzy. "W-We can hook it up to my phone and blast it, it'll at least be something."

She nodded, growling in frustration when Ben's cell went to voicemail.

"Get an ambulance to Helping Paws in Happytown," she kept it short, knowing they didn't have time. "I've got a suspect in custody, and he's willing to help us."

She hung up and grabbed the recorder, one end of an auxiliary cable already hanging from it.

"I need the key to these cuffs," she held out her bound paws. "They'll never believe this if I'm wearing them."

He cursed under his breath.

"I don't have it, she doesn't trust me enough to leave something like that here, you'll have to pick them again," he turned back to the table. "I found a set of those tools a while ago, they should still be there somewhere."

"Right," she kept him in her peripheral as she searched. As much as he seemed willing to help, she knew she couldn't fully trust him. Then something he'd said before finally registered. "Wait, you said earlier that Terry was dead."

He shook his head.

"She told me to lie, about him and Nick. I don't know where he is, but-" he stopped, his ears shooting straight up. "You hear that?"

"Hear what?" she spotted the tools and snatched them, getting to work on unlocking the cuffs.

"I thought I heard a door open somewhere, might be time to start playing that," he covered his eye with the neckerchief and tied it off. "I'll set it all up, then you can cuff me."

"Okay," she smiled when she got them off, grabbing his phone and the recorder before heading back over to him. "And Nate?"

She looked at him, putting a paw on his shoulder.

"Thank you."

He shrugged a bit.

"What can I say?" he flashed a weak grin. "A girl like you's worth risking everything for."

* * *

Jared stopped, looking over his shoulder to see everyone else had as well.

"Okay, so I'm not the only one hearing that," he walked back toward them, adjusting his kevlar vest. They'd already spent most of the afternoon searching Happytown, no one surprised when the struggling residents did nothing to help. The district had its own laws, the most important being not to trust the police, whether they were former residents or not. They'd just pulled into the overgrown, garbage-filled parking lot for the defunct Helping Paws when Ben had radioed about a call to his cell, sounding near tears as he'd explained the situation. Judy was there with a suspect, at least one of them wounded.

 _'It feels like a game, cause when you think you've caught me'_

 _'I slip away'_

 _'I guess you're just too slow!'_

"Haven't heard this song in a while," Stephanie adjusted her jacket. It had been a viral sensation years ago, though no one had ever found out who'd first released it. "Think we should follow it?"

Yamal's ears twitched as he tried to locate the source, growling a bit in frustration.

"It's echoing, I can't tell where it's coming from," he pulled in a breath before coughing wildly. "And all this dust and crap is screwing with my allergies, I can't smell a thing!"

 _'Catch me if you can'_

 _'Just watch me slip through every chance!'_

 _'Why should I stop now, it's so much fun!'_

"Why do you think I came along?" Nick moved to the front of the group, dressed in uniform like the rest of them, his gun held at the ready. He hadn't given them a choice about him coming. "I know Judy's scent better than anyone, and you know I won't give up until I find her."

He breathed deeply, his nose wrinkling at the mixed stink of rot twisting around everything else, but he eventually managed to sort his wife's scent from the rest, his chest tightening when he noticed how weak it was.

 _Oh god…_

Ignoring the worried shouts behind him, he took off, praying they weren't already too late.

"Nick, wait!" Stephanie ran after him. "We don't know what they might've left for us!"

He barely glanced at her.

"I don't care!" he jammed his gun in the holster and went to all fours. "I already lost Judy once, I'm not gonna lose her again!"

The music didn't last much longer, but her scent trail was getting stronger. He took the shortest path, jumping or veering past anything in his way, stopping short when he picked up voices, nearly impossible to hear past the pulse pounding in his ears.

"Shit, Judy, you're bleeding!" that was Nate's voice, but why did he sound so worried?

"I'm not the only one, Nate," there was no mistaking Judy. "How have you not passed out yet?"

Nate groaned.

"Trust me, I'm close to it," he started. "W-When's your backup getting here?"

"It should be soon," she replied. Why was she being so civil with that asshole? "Ben just texted me, he said they were already searching the district when I called him."

Nick rounded the last corner, his jaw dropping when he saw Nate on his knees, a crimson handkerchief tied around his eye, his paws cuffed in front of him. Judy was naked, sitting on a crate and tying a dirty scrap of cloth tightly above a nasty cut on her thigh, her right wrist wrapped in much the same way. She kept one foot on a bloody boxcutter, glancing at the dark buck every other second. She finished the knot and lifted her head, gasping when she finally noticed the fox standing across from her.

"Nick!" she tried to hobble toward him, crying out when her leg gave out beneath her. Keeping Nate in his sight, Nick rushed toward her, falling to his knees as he took her in his arms.

"Thank god, Judy," he hugged her, grinding his teeth when he felt how much she was shivering. He laid her gently back down, unzipping his jacket and wrapping her in it. He then cupped her cheek, leaning down to press a warm, relieved kiss to her lips. "I was so worried…"

She smiled tiredly up at him, reaching up to brush his muzzle.

"I'm fine, Nick," she sucked in a breath, her paw darting to her thigh. "Or at least, I will be."

He turned at frantic footsteps, seeing the rest of the team had finally caught up.

"Take her to the ambo outside," he passed her to Jared, who just nodded before heading off. Nick held up a paw when Yamal moved to grab Nate.

"Not just yet," he turned to the buck, a vicious smile on his lips. "We've still got one score to settle."

He stood, heading over to Nate and hoisting him up like a rag doll, the buck hanging limp at he was jammed against the wall.

"I said we'd have a problem if I caught you near her again, didn't I?" he bared his claws, dragging them slowly down the clean side of the rabbit's face as the cold grin dropped from his. "Now, you're going to tell me where my son is, or your eye's not the only thing you're gonna lose."

Nate coughed, grabbing Nick's wrist, but he still didn't try to fight him off.

"S-She's got him," he managed. "B-But I don't know where she is, a-all I know…is that she calls herself…L-Lady Platinum…"

He gulped when Nick tensed, shrinking back as the fox growled, the rage in his eyes growing even hotter.

"You're _lying_ ," he ground out. Nate just shook his head.

"I-I'm serious," he gagged when Nick's grip tightened. "T-That's the only thing she'd ever call herself!"

Nick growled again, then dropped him, turning sharply away and glaring at his fellow officers.

"You heard him," he all but snarled. "We're looking for Lady Platinum, let's move out!"

Jared and Stephanie stepped aside to let him pass, turning to stare at Yamal as the dingo picked up Nate's barely conscious form.

"W-Wait, isn't that-"

Jared nodded.

"Yeah, that's Nick's cousin," he swallowed. "It's Alice."

* * *

 _Catch me if You Can- Bratz Babyz: The Movie_


	48. Hard to Swallow

Alice wasn't picking up her cell, not that anyone was surprised. Nick slid down from his oversized chair and started pacing, his fur bristled and tail lashing as he tried to figure out how the hell he'd missed it. She'd admitted herself that she'd left home over three years ago, instead of the few months that she'd claimed before, ample time to find his exes and the mammals who'd helped her by stalling the investigation. It was also more than enough to learn the layout of the city, find the blind spots in the camera system, study her chosen targets. But what he couldn't figure out was what exactly had been the trigger.

She'd had to deal with her father walking out and later getting killed, her big sister disappearing, her mother's domineering and demanding ways, all before she'd even started second grade. His Aunt Sophia had also apparently been emotionally abusive, from what Judy had said just before she'd been kidnapped.

 _Judy…_

His heart clenched, his gut twisting as he thought of what she'd been through. She'd been hit with two different tranquilizers in a short amount of time, then had lost a fair bit of blood from a nasty slash on her thigh. After some had already been drawn for Yasmine's crime scene, her heart having been covered in it. She and Nate had been transferred to Savanna General from Wetlands Emergency in the Marshlands, the larger hospital better equipped for caring for mammals outside the district's typical species. They hadn't been able to save the buck's eye, but he was stable, and would be ready to talk in a day or two, if not earlier. Judy was also doing well, though had developed a fever, likely from a mix of shock and infection.

 _At least she's out of immediate danger,_ he told himself, his fist tightening at his side. He'd wanted to stay with her at the hospital, but had decided against it, knowing he was still their best bet at finding Alice. Finnick had been waiting when they'd gotten back to the precinct, looking thoroughly pissed at having been stuck with Ben's nervous, near-constant chatter. Nick had brought his old friend to the break room, the smaller fox swallowing hard before explaining his story.

Alice had finally calmed down after hearing what her sad excuse of a mother had had to say, suggesting they head out for an early dinner so Nick and Judy could have some privacy. He'd had to turn her town, since his crew was stuck working nights the whole week, and they'd said their good-byes before she'd headed out by herself. And that was the last he'd seen of her, though he hadn't realized anything was wrong until it was already going on midnight, and she still hadn't come back or answered her phone.

Nick took the back way to his desk after Fin left, knowing if Ben saw him it'd be almost impossible to get away. There were three cameras for the businesses across the street from the loft, as well as the one above the doors themselves. One of them was bound to have caught her this time, since she wouldn't have wanted to draw attention to herself by trying to avoid them. He sat down and logged in, pain pulsing through his chest again when he saw the pictures, focusing on the one Julia had snapped at the hospital, the first time Judy had held their son.

 _I'll find him, sweetheart,_ he swore silently. _I promise._

He pulled up the feeds he needed, setting his elbows on the desk and resting his head on his paws. It had been about ten to five when she'd left, according to Fin, and now it was going on three in the afternoon. In that time, she'd kidnapped two mammals and killed two others, and possibly a third, if the body of the young vulpine they'd found at Helping Paws ended up matching her MO. He skipped to the time in question, his eyes narrowing as he watched her stroll out, then up the street like she didn't have a care in the world. He checked the other feeds, barely holding back a snarl when she ducked into the alley next to the lofts, the same side his and Judy's was on. He didn't need to fast forward again to know what happened next.

 _We invited her into our home,_ he thought furiously. _We_ trusted _her, how the hell could she_ do _this to us?!_

He closed out the feeds, one ear flicking when the email alert popped up in the corner of the screen. He hesitated before clicking it, going cold when he saw what it was: pictures of him and Judy, her face scribbled out with black marker, his surrounded by messy flowers drawn in purple, Alice's favorite color since she was a kit. There were shots from their wedding, while they'd been dating, random selfies from before and after the academy, and it would've been bad enough if it had stopped there.

 _"_ _Nick, tonight's already perfect,"_ the video started automatically. He'd just walked past the bridge, keeping his back to the bunny who'd followed him. _"What else could there be?"_

He watched himself breathe deeply, pulling the paw furthest from the camera he'd set up out of his pocket, hitting the switch on her carrot pen.

' _I want to be your partner for life, Detective Hopps,'_ he kept his arm at his side, muffling the words slightly. _'Would you do me the honor…'_

 _"_ _What?"_ Judy stared at him, confusion on her perfect face. He smiled, holding up the pen and replaying the message.

 _'_ _I want to be your partner for life, Detective Hopps,"_ he took the box from his other pocket. _"Would you do me the honor…'_

 _"_ _Of being my wife?"_ he turned, opening the box and kneeling in the same fluid move. She gasped, tears filling her wide, sparkling eyes.

 _"_ _C-Could you repeat that?"_ she asked, her voice choked slightly. _"W-Without the pen?"_

He smiled, more than happy to oblige.

 _"_ _I said 'I want to be your partner for life, Detective Hopps',"_ he offered the ring again, taking another breath to calm his nerves. _"Would you do me the honor…of being my wife?"_

She gasped again, pressing her paws to her mouth as the tears spilled down her cheeks.

 _"_ _Oh, Nick,"_ she sniffled, then nodded, her paw shaking as he gently slid the ring onto her finger. He barely kept his balance when she jumped at him, both their tails going like crazy as they lost themselves in every hug and kiss. When they were done, her face wasn't the only one that was wet. _"I can't wait to be Mrs. Judy Wilde!"_

The video cut to black, then another clip started, this one taken a few weeks after their first anniversary. He was sitting at the kitchen table, filling out some kind of paperwork as she propped her phone against something.

 _"_ _Hey, Nick,"_ she turned to him. _"I know you're busy, but could I talk to you real quick?"_

He looked up as she walked toward him, setting down his pen.

 _"_ _I've always got time for you, sweetheart,"_ he said as he stood, smiling tenderly down at her. _"What's going on?"_

She pulled her ears over her shoulder and stroked them, unable to keep the nervous, excited look from her face.

 _"_ _Well, you know how we've been trying for kits the last few months, right?"_

His grin turned into a cocky smirk.

 _"_ _With how inventive we've been, how could I not?"_ his brow furrowed. _"But why are you…"_

He trailed off, jaw dropping and eyes widening as it dawned on him.

 _"_ _Wait, you don't mean…"_

She just bit her lip, nodding slightly. He gasped softly, then suddenly swept her up, both of them laughing as he lifted her high and spun them around, kissing her deeply as he brought her back down to his chest.

 _"_ _I'm going to be a father!"_ he didn't bother trying to hide his elation. _"God, I love you, Judy!"_

She smiled dreamily as they kissed again.

 _"_ _We love you, too, Nick,"_ she put a paw on her flat stomach. _"We love you, too."_

It went to black, then a single sentence started flashing, popping up in different places and changing colors.

 _She doesn't deserve you!_

He finally closed the email out, pressing his paws to his mouth to muffle the furious, terrified yell that bled from his throat. How the hell could she do this to them, what had happened to the sweet, caring girl he'd known as a kit?

 _It's been twenty-five years,_ he reminded himself. _A long time for her to change, for both of us to change._

"Nick!" Jared ran past his desk. "We've got a sighting on Alice!"

"What?!" Nick didn't bother logging out, shoving away from his desk and racing alongside the lion. "Where?!"

"The Comfy Inn," Jared returned, taking the steps two at a time. "Just outside the main wall, and she's got Terry!"

* * *

The Comfy Inn was just off the highway that ran parallel to the train line from Podunk, southeast of the city, and the only way Nick could think to describe it was a gift from whatever force ran the world. After hearing what had happened at Helping Paws, Tony had ordered a photo of Alice be sent to every news agency in the county, advising anyone who spotted her to call the ZPD immediately. The motel owner had also responded to the Amber Alert that had been put out for Terry, saying the vixen had come in and rented a room for cash, carrying a backpack, diaper bag and a carrier way too big for the baby that'd been sleeping in it. At least, he'd hoped the baby had been sleeping.

 _All that time she spent with Terry at the loft,_ Nick twisted his seatbelt, his claws almost cutting through. She'd been so gentle, so overjoyed to help with him in any way she could. He and Judy had thought she was trying to pay them back for letting her stay, turned out she'd just been trying to distract them. _And all those calls from her "producer"…_

He was starting to think they'd really been from Nate, or whoever else she'd been working with. That would explain why she'd never wanted to call them back, and why she'd always gone to the other end of the loft to talk, if she'd bothered to answer at all. Looking back now, he couldn't believe he'd missed the signs, or just how wrong he'd ended up being about her.

 _Focus, Wilde,_ he forced the thoughts from his mind. Right now, he had to worry about keeping things from escalating, stop her from doing anything else drastic. And that would only happen if he kept his head in the game.

"We're here," Jared pulled into the lot and put the cruiser in park, his nose wrinkling when he saw just how normal the place was, the mammals and families strolling along the sidewalk and balcony completely unaware of the monster in their midst. "I should've made you stay at the precinct."

"There's no way you could have," Nick unbuckled and jumped out, paws on his hips as he surveyed the area. The motel sat in a clearing at the edge of the road, the towering forest blocked off by a tall fence that extended to the thin, cracked gray sidewalk. He felt the weight of the gun at his hip with each step, hoping to god he wouldn't have to use it.

"Bravo team, I want you to block the entrance to the parking lot," Jared keyed the radio in the unmarked cruiser. "We don't want her making a break for it."

He cut the engine and stuffed the keys in his pocket, his ears flicking as he took in the crowd. They'd started gathering by the shorter fence enclosing the pool, still covered at this time of year. He walked up to address them, worried raising his voice too much would alert Alice to the fact they were here, and the last thing they needed was the situation escalating, especially now that a baby was involved.

"I'd like to ask you all to remain calm and return to your rooms," he flashed his badge. "This is a routine procedure, and we'll try and get out of your tails as soon as possible."

"You're here about that vixen, right?" a red squirrel waved a tiny paw, sitting on the wide shoulder of a water buffalo. He offered the oversized key he'd been hugging to his chest, then pointed to the right side of the building. "She's on the first floor, room eight, just around the corner there."

Jared nodded, his ears vanishing in his mane when he saw Nick already racing toward it. Why the hell had he let the guy come?

"Thank you," he turned back to the squirrel. "We hope to resolve this as quickly, and peacefully as we can."

The squirrel nodded, his bushy tail flicking as he turned back toward the room.

"You'll let me know if the baby's okay, won't you?" he asked. "I didn't get more than a glimpse, but she was just so still!"

"She?" Jared cocked a brow. "You mean the kit in there is a girl?"

The squirrel shrugged.

"Or the vixen dressed him up like one," he said. "I couldn't see much of her face, either, she was wearing big sunglasses and had a scarf wrapped around her head, it was more a gut feeling that made me call it in than anything else."

A lead weight dropped in Jared's gut. So there was a chance this might not be Alice and Terry at all, which meant he'd gotten Nick's hopes up for possibly nothing!

"T-Thank you," he repeated, his fingers tightening on the key, the edges digging into his paw pads. Unsure what else to say, he bid the group good-bye and followed Nick, seeing the smaller male pressed against the door to room eight, his body tense as he tried to catch whatever sounds came from inside.

"There's definitely a kit in there," he said quietly, lips twitching partially back from his teeth. "But it's so quiet I can't tell if it's Terry or not, and the room's been filled with scent block."

Jared winced, swallowing hard before passing his friend the key.

"Just promise you won't do anything crazy," he answered softly, knowing how the fox could get. He was surprised Nick hadn't tried ripping Nate's guts out through his nose at the shelter. "There's still a chance this _isn't_ Alice, but either way I don't want that kit in danger."

Nick let out a low growl before shoving the key in, twisting it so slowly Jared could barely hear it when the lock clicked.

"Neither do I," he reached for his gun. "And that's why I plan on finishing this as quickly as possible."


	49. Broken Reason

The room wasn't anything special, the walls painted a pale beige, the dark blue carpet speckled with different colors. A double bed took up most of the space, a nightstand with a small lamp tucked against each side with a large dresser on the opposite wall. The small television was almost muted, showing some cartoon that didn't seem to be much more than bright colors and smiling dwarves. Nick moved slowly and silently to the window across from them, the washed-out striped curtains drawn shut. He couldn't hold back a gasp when he saw the carrier on the chair in the corner, his heart pounding in his skull when he saw the tiny kit bundled inside.

"Terry…" he holstered his gun, brushing a tender paw across his son's forehead. "Oh god, he's got a fever…a bad one."

He grabbed the handle and steadied it against his chest, going stiff when the bathroom door opened, a platinum vixen strolling out with a contented smile on her face, music audible past her earbuds. Her eyes opened slowly, and she froze, her tail puffing when a low growl slipped from Nick's throat.

"You…" he set the carrier on the bed, then stormed toward her, his pupils dark slits in pools of emerald fire. He grabbed the front of her dress, yanking her up on her toes, his claws easily tearing through the thin cloth. "Tell me why I shouldn't just rip you open here and now. Did you really think you could get away with this?!"

Alice only struggled for a second, the shock on her face going flat and cold.

"I never planned to," she stated simply. "I wanted to prove the mammals in charge still don't care about foxes, and neither do the police!"

" _I'm_ a fucking cop!" he reminded her furiously. Her feet weren't even touching the floor now. She just looked at him.

"I know, I started planning this when I heard you'd been accepted to the academy," she shook her head. "You've got a badge and uniform now, but can you really say things are any different, that there aren't still mammals that look down on you just because you're a fox?"

He growled again, knowing she was right. That it would never matter how many criminals he caught, how high he rose in the ranks, there would always be mammals that thought he was trash. But he'd accepted it a long time ago, pompous piles of junk like that were just part of life, and as much as he might have wanted to, he knew there would never be any real way to fix it.

"That doesn't give you the right to try and be some twisted god," he dropped her back on the floor and snapped her around, jamming her arms behind her back and cuffing her. "Alice Wilde, you are under arrest, and you better pray someone else comes to interrogate you before I do."

He shoved her toward Jared, who simply picked her up, backing out of the room as Nick went to grab the carrier, thinking he'd never seen his old friend so pissed.

"I meant what I said, Delgato," the fox glowered up at him, his hackles spiked, tail snapping wildly. "If I see her again, she won't make it out alive."

Jared gulped, and the first hint of fear finally bloomed on Alice's face. Nick left before either of them could answer, the lion quick to note how much the smaller male was shaking. It wasn't just rage, he realized. Nick was terrified.

* * *

Jared stood back from the holding cell, watching the vixen sitting inside. Alice hadn't shown any remorse as of yet, hadn't even bothered to try and explain herself.

"You're not even going to _try_ lawyering up or anything?" he rubbed his chin. She just sat there, staring blankly at the wall like she'd been for the last hour and a half. She hadn't said a word since Nick had basically promised to kill her should they ever cross paths again. He'd taken Terry straight to the hospital from the scene, and most of the precinct was still waiting to hear how the kit, and Judy, were doing. There was Nate, too, he guessed, since Little Miss Mastermind wasn't going to answer any questions. He shook his head. "Fine, have it your way."

He walked slowly toward the stairway, half expecting her to suddenly change her mind, to jump at the bars and shout that she was ready to talk. But she just kept sitting there, like she hadn't heard a thing he'd said. He couldn't quite hold back a shiver.

"Jared!"

He looked up to see Stephanie coming toward him, looking ticked.

"Just got word from Savanna General," she stopped, taking a second to catch her breath. "Nate's up and ready to talk, but he's got a catch."

Jared scowled.

"He's not exactly in a position to make demands," he put his paws on his hips. She shook her head.

"Just wait until you hear what it is," she went on. "He wants us to check up on Judy, and let him know how she's doing."

Jared blinked.

"Why the hell would he care? He helped abduct her in the first place, not to mention all the other victims!"

"Don't forget the Chief's car," she reminded him. He shook his head.

"Nate's an electrician, not a mechanic, I doubt he had anything to do with that, at least," he kept step with her as they headed outside. They didn't have long before visiting hours were over, and they didn't want to disturb their friends any longer than they had to. He sighed, rolling a crick out of his shoulder. "I wish Nick's phone wasn't stuck in evidence, I wanted to ask if we could get anything for him."

"I got it," Stephanie pulled out hers and texted Julia. "I also want to check on Al if we have time, Tony said he came out of the last of his coma yesterday."

Jared swallowed.

"I'm actually kind of glad he's been unconscious for most of this, you know how he gets."

She nodded.

"At least we've caught most of the mammals involved," she stopped by the front desk to kiss Ben's cheek, letting her tail trail along the backs of his legs before catching up to Jared. "We'll finally be able to wrap up this case!"

He just nodded, hitting the button for the elevator that went right to the precinct's underground parking garage. Her text alert pinged as they headed for his cruiser, her worried frown deepening when she read it.

"Julia said she had to take Nick to a grieving room because he was so upset," she paused as another one popped up. "And when she went to check on him just now, he was curled up around a pillow and completely out of it. She could barely get him to swallow the pill she'd brought to help him sleep."

He sighed again, hitting the button on his key fob to unlock the car.

"Can't say I'm surprised," he climbed in and woke up the engine. "Except for that drug Alice slipped him earlier, this is likely gonna be the most sleep he's gotten in weeks."

Stephanie just looked at him, unable to hide the worry and fear in her eyes as he pulled out, neither of them remembering their seat belts until they'd reached the gate to the street.

 _'We're on our way,'_ she texted her sister back. _'And I don't think you'll like what we have to tell you.'_

* * *

Julia scowled at Jared and her sister, the three of them standing in the hall outside NICU. Thanks to the dampness of Helping Paws, Terry had come down with pneumonia, dangerous enough for an adult fox, but life-threatening for a kit barely two months old. She was just thankful he hadn't contracted a secondary infection, since the wound from having his blood drawn with a too-large needle had been left to the open air and filth for so long.

"We've got him on the strongest antibiotics we can give to a kit his size," she explained, arms crossed at her chest. "Had he been brought in just a few hours later, he probably wouldn't have made it through the night."

Jared's tail thumped fearfully against the wall, he couldn't believe they'd cut it so close.

"Will he be okay?" Stephanie asked, blinking away tears. Julia shook her head.

"He's good for now, but I'm afraid it's too early to tell," she swallowed. "He could turn out to be completely fine after this, or his immune system and lungs could be damaged for life, we just won't know until it happens."

Stephanie whimpered, Jared putting a comforting paw on her shoulder.

"What about Judy?"

Julia's lips quirked in a small smile, her paws going to her hips.

"It's a good thing she's such a gym nut," she started. "That and a childhood full of farm work and fresh veggies mean she's pretty healthy. She lost a lot of blood, and those two tranqs she got took their toll, but she should be fine in a day or so."

There was a shared sigh of relief, at least there was some good news tonight. Stephanie swiped a paw across her eyes, the light tremble continuing as it curled in a fist at her side.

"What about Nate?" she demanded, her teeth flashing in a snarl. Julia scowled again.

"That's not really my area, but I've heard they're keeping him cuffed to his bed and under police guard, not that he's made any attempts to escape," she scratched her cheek, glancing thoughtfully at the ceiling. "Come to think of it, I haven't heard about him causing _any_ kind of trouble, aside from being part of some psycho's rampage, I mean."

She drummed her fingers on her thigh.

"He just keeps asking about Judy, begging to know if she's alright," she scoffed. "Never anything about Terry or Nick, though."

"It sounded like he didn't know about Alice taking Terry," Jared spoke up. "And from what Nick and Judy have said, Nate didn't particularly care much about him."

Julia shuddered.

"Not surprised, he's like a better-looking version of that Darwin freak Judy was trapped with, or he was before she took his eye out. Too bad I missed the fight."

Her ear twitched when her pager went off.

"Looks like it's my turn to change diapers next shift," she clipped it back to her pocket. "I can't remember which floor that crazy buck's room is on, but I think Tony was assigned as one of his guards for the night. He shouldn't be too hard to find."

She hugged Stephanie, the two lightly scenting each other before pulling back.

"Terry's got tough parents," she tried to assure them. "They'll all make it through this, I know it."

Jared and Steph didn't doubt it, but the small family's physical and mental health wasn't the only thing they were concerned about. Nick and Judy's relationship had already survived more than most did, but there was always a chance the next shockwave would be what shattered it.

* * *

Nate was pawing at the bandage over his ruined eye when they showed up at his room, his other wrist shackled securely to his bed's railing. They had twenty minutes until visiting hours were over, twenty minutes to get all the information they could from him. He licked his lips as they walked in, dropping his free paw in his lap.

"Officers," he said quietly, keeping his gaze averted. Stephanie pulled up a chair, Jared choosing to stand on the other side of the bed.

"Kemp," he returned flatly. Nate gulped.

"I know you've got a lot of questions for me," the buck started, still not looking at either of them. "So I'll just cut to the chase and start talking."

He swallowed again, then dragged in a breath.

"I don't know how Lady Platinum, or whatever her name is, got my info, but she called me a few days after I saw Judy at that grocery store, saying she had a deal that was too big to miss out on."

Stephanie pulled out her notepad and scribbled some things down. Nate tapped his fingers together before continuing.

"She said Nick couldn't be trusted, that she wanted to get Judy out of harm's way before he put her in danger. That's why I didn't give up," his shoulders slumped. "We also went to the same high school, I was a freshman when she was a senior, but I know that's not the only reason she never noticed me. Or anyone else, for that matter."

"Because she was too busy studying to be a cop," Jared cut in. "She didn't let anything get between her and achieving that."

Nate chuckled sadly.

"If she wasn't in the library, she was in the weight room or at her judo class," he shook his head. "That insane drive is what made me like her so much in the first place, but by the time I finally got up the courage to say hi to her, she'd already graduated and gone away to college, full scholarship."

He sighed, sinking further into his oversized pillow. The bed was wolf-sized, the smallest that'd been available. Stephanie took down a few more notes.

"When I saw her in that store, I couldn't believe it," he went on, his fists clenching. "I mean, I knew she'd gotten her dream and had moved to the city, there wasn't a single mammal in Bunnyburrow who didn't, but when I saw her holding that kit, and then the ring on her paw, I just…"

He shook his head, then slammed it back against the pillow.

"I don't know what happened," he finally managed. "I-I'd liked her for so long, moved to the city just on the hope that I _might_ run into her, I just…kind of snapped. I let myself get stuck in the past, only to get that dream thrown back in my face."

He turned on his side, pulling the edge of the pillow with him.

"Like I told Judy," he went on, his voice slightly muffled. "I didn't know what our crazy friend was planning at first, and once I did, I told her I was out, I didn't want anything else to do with it."

He swallowed, hard, the scent of tears starting to fill the air.

"S-She said I could leave, but only…for a price," he choked a moment. "I-I'd have to watch my family, and the girl I loved die, a-and then she said I'd have to spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder for her!"

He broke down, gripping the pillow with both paws. Jared and Stephanie looked at each other, then she wrote down the rest of his confession, about to tuck her notepad away when he sucked in a breath.

"I-I'm not making excuses," he said, his voice low and ragged. "I-I don't even understand why I did it, but I want to at least _try_ to start making things right. I'll do…whatever it takes…"

He trailed off, and a few seconds later was out cold. Stephanie flipped her notebook shut, tapping it against her palm pad as she got up, following Jared out.

"Well, now what do we do?" she asked after he'd shut the door. He dragged a paw through his mane, then toyed with the radio strapped to his shoulder.

"Well, visiting hours are over, so I guess all we can do for now is run this stuff by the Chief, and hope we can _finally_ get Alice to crack."

She just sighed, tucking her notebook and pen back in their pouch on her belt.

"If we could only be so lucky…"


	50. Come to Terms

Nick peeled out of his wrinkled, sweat-stained uniform, sighing heavily as he stepped under the torrent of water from the shower head. The heat loosened his knotted muscles, helped relieve his thumping headache, but it did little to soothe his mind, the last several days looping through at warp speed. He'd woken up in a grieving room to Julia setting a bag of his clothes by the couch, the tigress wincing when she'd seen him sitting up. His first thought had been his family, and he'd begged her to tell him they were alright.

"Judy's going to be fine," she'd assured him, the barest hint of a smile on her face. But then it had faded, and his heart had dropped. "But I'm afraid Terry has pneumonia, very serious for a kit his age."

He'd gone cold then, barely able to get his next question out.

"H-How serious?"

The look on her face then had told him everything, but he'd still wanted her to say it.

"I-I'm afraid it's life-threatening," she'd revealed reluctantly. "But we're giving him the strongest antibiotics we can, and I am going to personally see to it that he gets all the care he deserves."

He'd just stared at her before collapsing back on the couch, biting hard on his lip as he'd fought a losing battle with his despair. His paws had trembled as he'd buried his face in them, giving in when he'd felt the weight of her paw on his back, the cushion sagging as she'd sat next to him. She'd prodded him closer, and he hadn't thought twice about burying his face in her side, finally giving himself over to the emotions storming through him, his claws just about tearing holes in her scrubs.

He shook so violently that the bar of cheap soap slipped from his fingers, his tail snaking between his legs as he bent to pick it up. He told himself that Alice and Nate had been arrested and were now under guard, that most of their accomplices had come forward and were willing to talk, if only to potentially lessen their own sentences. He'd been able to find his wife and son before it was too late, and now they were in one of the best hospitals in the city, if not the county. He could let the rest of his team handle this case, spend the time with his family that he should have from the start.

 _Who knows,_ he thought as he finished lathering up, his claws cutting into the wet bar. _I might even retire after this, find a job that doesn't…No._

He shook his head, the soap dropping to the floor again as he pressed his claws to his temples. He couldn't just give up, not after everything he and Judy had been through. It was possible she'd understand, that this case had been too much for him, and she might even agree that he should find something else. Something less risky, less unpredictable, especially now that their son was in the picture. He knew Judy and the others would miss being able to work with him, that they also wouldn't try and pressure him into staying. He'd be disappointed in himself, though, as it would basically be admitting that he couldn't handle being a cop, that the job had beat him. And he'd already spent more than enough of his life feeling that way.

He'd give it some time, he decided, and if he still didn't feel like he could keep going, then he'd decide what to do. But right now, he had something far more important to worry about.

 _My family needs me,_ he rinsed the suds off and cut the water, grabbing his towel on the way to the fur dryer. _And I'm not about to let them down, not this time._

* * *

Terry had never looked so tiny. He was fast asleep in NICU, tucked under a tiny crocheted blanket with a line in his paw connected to the bag hanging next to the crib. Gingerly, Nick reached down to brush the kit's forehead, some of the tension leaving when he felt his son's fever had already improved. His quiet breath was still raspy, and Nick hoped it was the drugs making him so still.

"It's still early," the alpaca nurse in charge whispered next to him, tapping a few notes into her tablet. "But we're confident he'll make a quick recovery."

Nick's tail flicked a bit at the news, her tone telling him that wasn't everything.

"He'll likely have some complications," she went on before he could ask. "There's a chance he'll have reduced lung capacity, or he may even develop asthma. But with the right treatment, he'd be able to live a full, normal life."

Nick felt himself relax further. That was all he needed to hear.

"Thank you," he couldn't keep his voice from hitching. He dragged in a breath before looking up at her. "Would it be alright if I…held him for a while?"

She smiled kindly, guiding him to the side Terry's IV stand was on.

"We belive physical contact with their parents can make offspring heal much more quickly," she took a few steps back. "I'll give you some privacy, Mr. Wilde."

She headed off, typing something else into her tablet. He swallowed before turning back to his son, reaching slowly down and cupping the kit in his paws, smiling at his son's soft whimper as he cradled him gently to his chest.

"I'm here for you, pipsqueak," he whispered, leaning down to gently mark him. Terry's tiny fingers twitched in his fur, and he turned instinctively toward his father's scent, one foot lightly kicking in his white onesie. He thought about singing the lullaby, but didn't want to risk waking the other babies, so he just let the moment linger until the nurse came back. He kissed his son's forehead. "I love you, Terry."

He set the kit carefully back in his crib, tucking him under the blanker like he'd been before. He quietly thanked the nurse before slipping out, sighing heavily when he reached the hall. He knew then that Terry would pull through, because he was too much like Judy to give up.

 _You really are too good for me, sweetheart,_ he thought fondly, taking a deep breath to steady himself before pushing away from the wall. According to Julia, Judy's room was on the next floor up, Yamal standing guard by the door. There was little chance one of the accomplices they hadn't found yet would decide to try something, but with how this case had gone so far, none of them were about to take any chances. He didn't try to stop the guilt that flooded him, that small part of him he just couldn't get rid of once again rearing its ugly little head.

 _I tried to warn you,_ it said. _There's no point in trusting anyone._

He shoved open the door to the stairwell, biting hard on his tongue to keep from baring his teeth.

 _I'm through listening to you,_ he argued silently. _Trusting Judy was the best choice I ever made, and my life has never been better!_

 _You trusted Alice,_ it reminded him. _And look where that got us._

He growled, burying his face in his paws, pressing his back to the wall when he reached the landing. It wasn't wrong.

She's _the one who abused that trust,_ he thought. _She tricked me, she tricked everyone!_

 _And now eleven mammals are dead, maybe even more,_ it returned sharply. _Your boss and best friend were almost killed, your wife's probably unconscious, and your son's barely hanging on!_

He growled again, throwing his fist into the wall, a series of loud cracks resounding as his paw gave way.

 _You think I don't feel guilty enough about all of that?_ he demanded. _You reminding me isn't going to fix anything!_

It scoffed.

 _I shouldn't_ have _to remind you in the first place,_ it said. You're _the one who threw out everything he'd worked for just for some cute little bunny tail. None of this would've happened if you'd just let her screw herself over in the first place!_

"Enough!" he slumped against the wall, tears leaking down his cheeks. He clutched his injured paw to his chest, his heart twisting when he saw that he'd dented his wedding band. He also couldn't remember seeing Judy's when he'd found her, but then it'd been the last thing on his mind.

 _I'm_ not _going to let some_ imaginary _voice bitch at me like this,_ he glared at the painted brick across from him, the wall scattered with scribbles. After a few more minutes, he pushed himself to his feet, swiping an arm across his eyes. _I'm done listening to you, so go to hell!_

When he was sure it wouldn't start up again, he walked out to the hall, trying to ignore the subtle glares some mammals, both patients and staff, were sending his way. No matter how long he wore the badge around his neck or how much good he did with it, there would always be some who couldn't look past his species.

"Um, excuse me," he walked to the desk, standing back enough so the older moose at the computer could see him. He swallowed. "I'm here to see Judy Wilde."

She looked him over from behind black wire glasses.

"Visiting hours just ended," she said flatly. "And you can only visit patients on this floor if you're family."

"My name's Nick Wilde," he answered calmly. It wouldn't help anyone if he got worked up. "I'm her husband."

Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second, then fell back to their hooded, uninterested stare.

"And you expect me to believe that?"

Nick sighed internally, holding up his paw so the un-dented side of his ring glinted in the overhead lights.

"We've been married for almost two years," he tried to reason, wondering if he should just pull out his badge, though it was likely she wouldn't believe that, either. He brought down his paw, putting both on his hips. "How about you page Dr. Bogo? She'll know if I'm telling the truth or not."

He saw the cow's eye twitch, but she picked up the phone and hit the intercom.

"Paging Dr. Bogo to the ICU, please," her voice echoed slightly across the tiled floor. "Dr. Bogo to the ICU."

It took a few minutes for Erin to stroll up, a small smile tilting her lips when she saw the fox waiting by the desk.

"We have to stop meeting like this, Sergeant," she looked to the moose, and her playful tone vanished. "What seems to be the problem, Clara?"

Clara sank back a bit under her gaze, nothing a mammal would see if they weren't looking for it.

"There's no problem, Doctor," she said evenly, glancing down her nose at Nick. "This fox was just requesting to see Judy Wilde, and is claiming to be her husband."

Erin's frown deepened at the other cow's haughty tone, she wasn't even trying to hide it.

"If their last names weren't enough of a clue, my husband and I attended their wedding ourselves," she said bluntly. "And even if we hadn't, you'd just have to look in their records to confirm it."

Her eyes narrowed.

"So, I ask again, Clara, aside from a nurse who's already on thin ice refusing to do part of her job, what seems to be the problem here?"

Clara visibly flinched this time, sighing in resignation before getting to her feet.

"This way, please…Sergeant," she stepped out, walking so quickly down the hall Nick had to run to keep up. She abruptly stopped at room 418, her ears folding further back when she saw Erin had followed as well.

"I'm just here to ensure a respected member of law enforcement is treated fairly, regardless of species," she nodded once to Yamal before turning to Nick, her smile eerily bright. "You will call me if you have any other problems or concerns, won't you?"

Swallowing, Nick nodded.

"Y-Yes, ma'am."

"Good," she reached over and opened the door. "Now, I believe your wife is expecting you, I'll have a cot brought up shortly."

His twitching tail puffed, Nick headed through, stopping cold when he saw Judy lying in the bed. She was asleep, flat on her back with her head thrown to the side, her ears splayed across the thin pillow. Her arm was bent, a thin line at her elbow connected to an almost empty bag of blood hanging from a stand. He didn't know how long he stood there before forcing himself to move, slumping in the oversized chair pulled close to the bed, reaching out to stroke her cheek with a tender, trembling paw.

"This is all my fault, Judy," he whispered, his voice cracking. He wove his fingers through hers, his heart thudding when she didn't respond. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…"

* * *

Yamal tried not to make it obvious he was eavesdropping, looking down at his phone with his ears barely tilted toward the pair of quietly arguing females.

"There's no way he didn't force her into it," the moose hissed. "Foxes can't be trusted, and bunnies are too stupid to know any better!"

"I'd advise against any more speciest remarks, Clara," Erin returned. "I'm sure I don't have to remind you what will happen next time you're reported."

He barely held back a snicker when he caught a glimpse of Clara's face, her open-mouthed shock was just too perfect.

"Y-You can't honestly believe there's nothing wrong with their relationship," the moose sputtered. "Prey with their natural predator? It's just sick!"

Yamal stepped aside when Erin suddenly tugged her toward the door, forcing her to watch through the gap in the blinds across the window as Nick all but collapsed in the chair by the bed. He held Judy's paw before burying his face in his arms, openly sobbing.

"Does _that_ look like a male who doesn't care about his mate?" she demanded softly. Her tone grew colder, a hard smile fixed on her lips. "And please tell the staff that if _anyone_ calls _any_ kind of hotline about those two, they'll have to answer to me _and_ the Chief of Police. Do I make myself clear?"

The moose just glared at her, then shoved out a breath, tugging her arm from Erin's grip and straightening her scrubs.

"Yes, Dr. Bogo, I understand."

She turned and stormed back to the front desk. Erin shook her head before going off the other way, the look on her face telling him she hoped she wouldn't have to follow through on her threat.


	51. Long Overdue

Nick groaned as he woke up, rubbing the back of his neck to try and ease the tension. He didn't know how long he'd cried before passing out, but he was sure it would never be enough.

 _What time is it?_

He reached over to take Judy's paw again, his heart stopping when he realized the bed was empty, then racing as her voice drifted from the small bathroom.

"Yes, Mom, everything's fine here," she sounded exasperated, her words muffled by the cracked door. "I took a couple tranqs to the gut and Terry and I both lost some blood, but nothing last night wasn't enough to fix."

He couldn't hear the other end of the conversation, and from how she responded, he didn't want to.

"How _dare_ you say that, Ruby!" she snapped. "Nick's been with either me or our son all night!"

She paused again, then scoffed.

"No, _you_ listen," she growled. "This is _exactly_ why I've put so much space between me and the family. It's been two years and almost half of you are _still_ telling me to divorce him! Nick didn't have _anything_ to do with Alice's actions, so don't you _dare_ try blaming him for _anything_ that happened!"

Nick got up and rounded the bed, her next words stopping him dead in his tracks.

"I love him more than my own life, Ruby," she snapped. "And he loves me, and our son, just as much, a-and until more of you can accept that, I…"

She swallowed hard, choking on her tears.

"I-I'm cutting my ties with this family, for as long as it takes you to get your heads out of your asses," her breath hitched, and she sniffled. "N-Now good-bye, and good riddance!"

She hung up, still softly crying. He couldn't hold back the relief that flooded him, his legs giving out beneath him. She still loved him, was willing to walk away from her family for him, even after everything Alice had put her and Terrance through!

 _I really don't deserve you, Judy…_

"Yes, you do, Nick."

He gasped, looking up to see her nudging the door open, clutching an oversized phone to her chest.

"Yamal let me borrow it, since mine's still in evidence," she set it on the floor, taking his muzzle in both paws when he turned away, his heart just about shattering when he saw the small, understanding smile gracing her perfect face. "After everything we've been through, did you really think I could ever leave you?"

She brushed a thumb across his lips, blushing when he lightly kissed it.

"And even after how badly I treated you while I was with Darwin, you still forgave me," she shook her head. "I'd be a complete idiot to even consider leaving you."

He didn't answer, his ears and tail limp as he gazed forlornly back at her. After a long, painful silence, he shoved out a breath, reaching up to take her waist in his paws.

"I know you probably don't want to hear this from me, Carrots," he started softly. "But I still have to say it."

He gulped.

"I'm sorry, Judy, for everything," his grip tightened, his claws digging slightly into her skin. "I'm so sorry, and I don't know how I'll ever—mmph!"

His next words died on his tongue when she kissed him, her arms draping around his neck as far as they could go. His paws shifted, and he wrapped her in a tender embrace as he gave himself over to it. The guilt still bit at him, as he knew it would for a long time, but the fact she still wanted to be with him helped to ease the sting, even if just a bit. They were both panting when she pulled back, only to grab his wrinkled shirt and yank him in again.

"I love you, Nick," she murmured against his lips. "I love you so much…"

He managed to smile, nuzzling her nose.

"I love you, too, Judy," he stole another kiss, then cupped her cheek. "And I plan on spending the rest of my life proving it to you."

She sniffled happily before cuddling under his chin, her nose twitching as she rooted through his fur.

"That makes two of us."

* * *

Tony glanced through the folder before slapping it shut, staring blankly at the charcoal buck across from him. Nate had spent a week in the hospital before being released, and had been brought right to Precinct One. He was standing in his oversized chair, his clasped paws shackled to the table. He looked tired, resigned, ready to accept what was coming to him.

"We both know why I'm here," he started before Tony could speak. "You want to make sure nothing about my story's changed since I spilled it in my hospital room."

Taken a bit aback, the tiger just nodded. Nate sighed, pushing himself to his toes to lean over the table.

"Well, it hasn't," he went on calmly. "I had no idea who Alice really was until I overheard some of the other cops talking about her, or what she was really planning until I was already in too deep for a get out of jail free card."

"You also said she threatened your family when you brought up quitting," Tony passed the folder to one side. "And she wasn't exactly subtle about it, either."

Nate huffed.

"No, she wasn't, and it wasn't just my family," he clarified. "She said she'd go after every mammal I'd ever cared about, and that I'd have to spend however long she let me live afterward watching my back to make sure she wasn't about to stab it."

Tony winced. Had he not seen the videos from Jared's body and dash cams, he'd never have believed her capable of such violence, such coldness.

"I thought it was just a coincidence that she called me a few days after I saw Judy at that store," Nate went on, then shuddered. "Until she admitted she'd already been watching her for months, might've even been longer."

He dragged his blunt claws lightly along the tabletop; Tony sat back and rubbed his chin, glancing at the recorder sitting between them.

"Can you remember when she told you that?"

Nate shrugged, the short chain jangling softly.

"It was after I'd started thinking about getting my ass out, but before I actually said anything about it," he explained. "She must've been picking up on the fact that I was starting to doubt what she'd told me."

That perked the big cat's interest. He leaned forward, resting his crossed arms on the table.

"What did she tell you originally?"

The buck swallowed, taking a few gulps from the large glass of water next to him. That and another update on Judy's, and Terry's, condition had been all he'd asked for before talking.

"That she'd grown up in a country where foxes were basically worshipped, and that she wanted to at least improve how mammals treated them here," his ears drooped. "Looking back now, I should've known then she was nuts, but she seemed so sincere about it."

He cringed.

"She was also pretty much the only girl who'd ever talked to me without trying to make me sleep with her, so my excitement about that overrode my judgement," he tried to rub his neck, his paws stopping just short. "That, and I've always thought foxes and other species got a raw deal, but no one took me seriously because, you know, dumb bunny."

Tony winced again. He'd thought the same thing until he'd seen for himself what Judy could do, and he'd been just as bad when he'd heard Nick had joined the academy.

"She showed me this list of mammals she said were criminals, said we were going to catch them and leave a clue about who we were with each one when we dropped them in front of the local precinct," he shuddered again. "Then I overheard a call she had with a mammal from some news station, saying the media was going to keep quiet about everything until _she_ decided it was time for the city to know what was really going on."

Tony leaned back again, smoothing his cheek fur with a claw.

"I figured you would've helped her with the crime scenes," he said. Nate nodded.

"I did, at least to a point," he took another sip, then cleared his throat. "I helped her grab and subdue the victims, but once they were where she wanted them, she sent me off to take care of something else. I actually thought she was trying to protect me somehow, make it so I couldn't be charged with more than assault and kidnapping when we were caught."

"'When' you were caught?" that got his attention. "Not 'if'?"

Nate shook his head.

"She said she'd always planned to get caught, that becoming martyrs like that would be the only way to really make mammals listen," he tilted his head down to awkwardly scratch at the base of one ear. Tony cocked a brow.

"You said you always thought foxes got a bad rap, but according to Judy, you acted pretty speciesist when Nick showed up outside their door. Mind telling me what changed?"

He couldn't miss the fear that flashed across the rabbit's face.

"Okay, I actually didn't care too much about it before," he admitted. "But the fact she's happily married to one tells me all I need to know. They're just like any other species, and we shouldn't judge all of them just because a few have caused trouble."

Tony hummed thoughtfully, it made sense.

"Well, now that we got that cleared up, let's get back to why you decided to help Alice. What else can you tell me about this crazy scheme of hers?"

Nate was quiet a few minutes, shuffling uncomfortably.

"I can't remember if I said she was paying me to try and get Judy away from Nick, but she was," he stated, then his eye widened, fear flashing through it again. "A-And I just remembered something else I overheard…"

He swallowed, Tony leaning forward when he started shaking.

"Is it really that bad?"

Nate shivered one last time, then nodded.

"She must've thought I'd already left, because she didn't think twice before blurting it out, something about her sister being responsible for another big case a few years back."

Tony's jaw dropped.

"Wait…what?!"

* * *

Jeremy couldn't believe he was doing this. He'd hauled Alice into questioning hours ago, and while he'd known she wouldn't crack right away, he'd had no idea just how reluctant she would be.

"I'm only talking to Nick," she'd answered every question that way, staring past him like he wasn't even there. Her eyes had been empty, her voice flat, and it hadn't mattered what he'd tried, her response had been the same. "Get him here, and I'll spill everything."

He'd finally given up, excusing himself to the hall and taking out his phone, glad no one else was around to catch him.

 _Guess buying that old landline_ was _a smart move…_

 _"Hey, Jeremy,"_ Judy answered on the third ring, sounding cheerful as always. How the heck did she do it? _"How's it going?"_

"Oh, it's going good," he chuckled nervously, then cleared his throat. "Uh, listen, is Nick there right now?"

 _"He went to pick up his mom from the train station, she and Fin are having dinner with us tonight,"_ her tone shifted. " _Why, is something wrong?"_

He worried his lower lip with his teeth, then shoved out a sigh.

"It's Alice, she's refusing to talk to anybody but him," he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I've been trying to make her crack all day, but that's the _only_ thing she'll say."

There was a long pause, and he could imagine the anger starting to cover her face. Finally, she sighed, her voice slightly distant and tinny.

 _"He was worried she'd act like that,"_ there was some shuffling. _"Okay, I'll tell him about it after Fin and Genevieve leave, and I'll ask Isabel if she can watch Terry tomorrow."_

He swallowed, running a paw through his mane.

"Oh, you don't have to-"

 _"You_ really _think I'm about to leave Nick alone with that bitch?"_ she scoffed. " _He'd kill her, and I am_ not _about to let her go so easily!"_

He shuddered. He'd almost forgotten what Judy was like when she got pissed.

"O-Okay, I know better than to try and stop you," he swallowed again. "And it's better that you're coming in tomorrow, anyway. Bogo's got some kind of thing with the Mayor, he'll be gone all day."

 _"Perfect,"_ her voice was eerily gleeful. _"See you then, Jeremy!"_

She hung up, and he let out the breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. Tomorrow was definitely going to be interesting, and he just hoped they all still had their jobs when the Chief found out what he'd pulled.

 _Worry about that later,_ he shook his head, putting his phone away and stepping back into the room. Alice hadn't moved an inch, and were it not for the fact she was still breathing, he would've thought she was dead.

"Looks like you got your damn wish," he managed smoothly. "Nick should be coming in tomorrow morning."

"Good," she smiled coldly, the first her expression had changed in days. "How about you lead me back to my cell, then? I believe we're done here for now."

He barely bit back a growl, she really didn't give a shit what she'd done, did she? He unlocked her cuffs from the table, keeping a tight grip on her shoulder as he led her back to the holding cells.

"I honestly thought you were a good mammal," he said after he'd locked her back in. "We all did."

She just sat on her cot, swinging her feet as she brought her tail into her lap and started grooming it.

"It's your fault, really," she said plainly. "It's actually pretty sad that I managed to fool you all so easily."

She shrugged, licking two of her fingers before smoothing them over the tip of her tail.

"So much for the ZPD being the best in the state."

He did growl this time, pounding a fist against the bars hard enough to make her jump.

"A lot of pests are hard to get rid of," he flashed an icy grin right back at her. "At least until you find the nest, then _exterminate_ the queen."

She actually gulped, drawing back from him, but then her infuriating bravado came back to the front.

"That sounds like a threat, officer," she sneered at him. "I should report you for that!"

He just laughed, crossing his arms.

"It'd be my word against yours, sweetie, and you know how foxes are treated over here," he smirked. "So even if you _were_ to report me, who do you think they'd believe?"

He turned away, throwing a casual salute over his shoulder.

"I'll just go let your guard know you're stuck down here again," his playful tone vanished, the smirk still in place. "And if you know what's good for you, you'll stay where you belong."

* * *

Judy wasn't sure what to expect when she and Nick walked into the station, the sun high and bright in the late morning sky. She'd had to wait longer than she'd planned to tell Nick what was happening with Alice, Genevieve's train having been delayed because of bad weather in Podunk, where her best friends from high school were visiting their grandcubs. That meant dinner had run late, and by the time she'd given Terry his medicine and gotten him down for the night, Nick had already fallen asleep on the sofa, having cleaned up the kitchen and put the food away after seeing his mother and Fin to the fennec's van.

Her grip tightened on his paw as she recalled spilling the news at breakfast, Terry cradled against her chest with one arm as she'd fed herself cut apple pancakes with the other. Nick had understandably been pissed, hardly able to reign it in when their son had started crying in fear. It had taken an extra-long shower filled with nuzzling and kissing for him to calm down enough to think clearly, and he'd called Jeremy while she'd gotten dressed, saying they'd be on their way after finding a sitter. Judy was glad she'd been able to take care of that last night, at least, as Isabel had only been too happy to take the kit for the day, since Xavier and his father were off on a Ranger Scouts trip.

"I can't believe she pulled this," Nick muttered, his eyes blazing behind his aviators. "Who the hell does she think she is?"

She put a comforting paw on his arm, gasping when she realized just how tense he was, a stretched wire ready to snap.

 _Oh, Nick,_ she wrapped her arms around his, almost tripping on his tail when he suddenly stopped. They'd reached the staircase that led to the holding cells, Yamal drawing back when he felt the fury radiating off the smaller predator.

"She's still down there," he nodded toward the steps, "You want me to bring her to an interrogation room?"

Nick shook his head, pulling off his sunglasses and hooking them on his shirt pocket. He'd insisted on coming in uniform today, Judy clad in her favorite yellow sundress.

"I think it'd be better if she stayed in there," his voice oozed forced calm, his pupils narrowed to slits. "She wouldn't last long otherwise."

Yamal just moved stiffly aside, no doubt pretending he hadn't just heard his friend make that threat. Nick glanced at the steps before turning to Judy, kneeling down and brushing a gentle touch across her cheek.

"You don't have to come with me if you don't want to," he said softly. "I'd…actually prefer it if you didn't."

She shook her head, holding his chin when he tried to look away.

"You've already dealt with too much on your own, Slick," she met his gaze. "I'm not letting you go down there alone."

He smiled fondly, squeezing her paw before pulling her into a hard, quick kiss that left her dazed, to the point he was already halfway down the steps before she realized he'd left.

"That's cheating," she complained when she caught up to him. He smirked at her.

"It's called a hustle, sweetheart," he whispered, pecking the top of her head when they reached the floor. His tail flicked against her ankles at a low sigh, and she turned to see Alice watching them through the bars, a sight Nick apparently ignored as he tilted her face back toward him, pressing another warm kiss to her lips. "I love you."

"I've always dreamed of someone saying that to me," Alice broke in, tracing her claws along one of the bars. He scowled at her, putting himself between them as he straightened.

"You should've thought about that _before_ deciding to terrorize my city," he started angrily. "Do you have any idea what you've done to these mammals, how many lives you've shattered?"

She bit her lip, her eyes already starting to fill with tears, tears Judy knew Nick wouldn't believe for a second.

"I-I did what I had to, Nick," Alice said. "I-I thought you of all mammals would understand!"

He scoffed.

"Well, lucky for me, I _don't_ understand," he put his paws on his hips. "So, please, try to enlighten me, Alice, on why you just _had_ to become a serial killer!"

She didn't answer at first, wringing her tail while looking at anything but him.

"I'll admit, it was a little extreme," she said at last, her voice still shaking. "But I figured it was the best way to get my point across."

"And what 'point' would that be?" his tail was lashing, showing he was already losing his patience. She groaned, finally losing the fight against her emotions.

"H-How can you not get it yet, Nick?" she demanded tearfully, her face the epitome of misery. "I did this because none of those mammals were good enough for you!"

She choked on her next breath, her voice cracking through the sob.

"I love you more than they ever could, I have since we were kids! You're my soulmate," she went on desperately. "You _have_ to see that! W-We're meant to be, Nick, I know we are!"

Nick just stared at her, his eyes wide and jaw slack, but then his expression closed off. A long silence passed before he managed to speak again.

"You… _kidnapped_ my wife, my son, almost _killed_ them," his voice rose, a growl coming with it, and he sliced the air with his arm. "Even worse, you _slaughtered_ eleven other _innocent_ mammals. What makes you think I would ever want _anything_ to do with you?!"

His words were punctuated with slow steps toward her, until he was almost pressed against the bars of her cell. She drew back, sobbing in fear, and as if in response to those tears, every ounce of rage seemed to drain from him. He stepped away and turned his back to her, one arm crossed over his chest, his other paw dragging slowly down his face.

"You're responsible for assaults on four officers, thirteen abductions, eleven murders and four attempted murders," he started. "And I am going to make sure you get the death penalty for it."

His fist tightened, his eyes once again green fire.

"And as far as I'm concerned, the mammal known as Alice Wilde no longer exists."

He stalked out, and Judy didn't hesitate to follow him. As much as she hated it, she couldn't stop the pain in her chest at the vixen's heartbroken cries.


	52. Time Everafter

It didn't feel like it'd been over a year since the Mistress Murders, as the case had been dubbed by the media. Nick hadn't argued when Bogo had ordered him to stay away from it after Alice's arrest, using the extra free time he had from being stuck with desk duty to dote on Terry, giving Judy the break he knew she deserved. Their son had recovered quickly from his pneumonia, and other than needing extra time to catch his breath once he'd started crawling, then walking, there didn't seem to be any long-term damage. They still kept a careful eye on him, though, just in case something more serious did pop up.

Nate had pled guilty, and instead of life had gotten twenty years with no chance of parole. At the last minute, Alice had taken her own plea deal, her death sentence commuted to life in solitary, on the condition that she never try to contact any of her victims' families or the mammals she'd tangled in her web. Many of those mammals had received lengthy sentences of their own, the new Mayor doing her best to make sure that prejudice was nowhere to be found in her staff. And for his prominent role in taking down one of the worst killers in the city's history, Sergeant Nick Wilde had been promoted to Captain.

After everything his cousin had done, Nick still had some trouble believing Judy had wanted to stay with him, even with seeing the proof right in front of him. She'd called him on one of her days off, saying Terry would be staying with Genevieve, and that she had a special surprise for him. He'd managed to clock out early, coming home to find her lying in the middle of their bed, dressed in sheer, satiny black lingerie that had made her look as gorgeous as it had sexy. She'd grabbed his tie, pulling him into a slow, deep kiss that had ignited his simmering lust. They'd spent almost every minute of that weekend in bed, more than making up for the time they'd missed. He hadn't thought it was possible for him to fall any more in love with her, but those few days had proven him amazingly wrong.

"Aren't they beautiful, Slick?" Judy laid back in her hospital bed, her paw draped over the edge of a clear plastic bassinet, her smiling face drawn with loving exhaustion as she gazed at the four tiny kits laying swaddled inside. It'd been hell carrying them all at once, she'd told him, even with them all being smaller than Terry, but she wouldn't have changed any part of the last nine months for the world.

Finnick Benjamin was the oldest, and a fairly even mix of his parents. His brownish-gray fur was slightly longer than a bunny's, his chest and the underside of his mid-length muzzle a soft off-white. He had Nick's feet with Judy's coloring, short ears that went from umber at the base to black at the pointed tips, and a small, tapered poof of a tail with the same coloring. Gypsy Elara was gray, with dark umber paws like her father, a small muzzle and big feet like her mother. Her long, pointed ears were tipped with white like her tail, shorter than Nicks, though longer than Judy's. Jasmine Hope had gray and white scattered throughout her cream coat, her short, rounded ears tipped with black like her mother's. Her long tail had a gray tip, her feet and snout all Nick. Julian Andrew was the runt of the litter, pale orange with white patches around his mouth and right eye, the left surrounded by the same dark brown lining the folds of his long, rounded ears. He had Judy's feet with Nick's coloring, the end of his tail peeking out of his blanket, a few strands of lighter brown blending in with the orange. Nick hiked Terry higher in his arms, leaning forward so the kit could see his new siblings.

"That's your little brothers and sisters, pipsqueak," he said quietly, a proud smile on his face. Terry just sucked on his pacifier, he'd started teething halfway through Judy's pregnancy, gripping his father's neck fur as he stared at the little pink and blue bundles. His eyes had already turned deep green, a spiky lavender ring around his pupils, and Nick couldn't wait to see what colors the quadruplets' would be. He sat down on the edge of the bed, placing a soft kiss between Judy's ears, sighing in contentment when she tilted her head to catch his lips with hers. "You're incredible, sweetheart."

She giggled, tracing a paw over the contours of his chest.

"And don't you forget it, foxy."

He chuckled, then kissed her again, pulling back when Gypsy started fussing. That had been his mother's favorite of his father's pet names for her, and he could still see the tears in her eyes when she'd heard her first granddaughter's name. Genevieve had won an all-expenses paid trip to France that had ended up coinciding with Judy's due date, a few weeks earlier than Hayworth had predicted, but late enough that the kits would just have to stay until they gained a few more ounces. Judy untied her hospital gown, letting the sleeve fall as she picked up their daughter, the tiny kit latching on instinctively. They'd expected another single birth, Nick just about fainting when Hayworth had told them.

Judy shifted against the pillow, pulling down her other sleeve when Jun started up, too. At least she could feed two at a time, and this was nothing compared to most of her mother's litters, there was a reason she'd ended up with almost three hundred siblings by nine.

"Uh, l-listen, Nick," she started, somewhat hesitantly. "There's something we really should talk about…"

Nick got up, laying Terry in the carrier sitting on a chair, tapping the handle to make the toys hanging from it bounce. He giggled around his pacifier, reaching up his chubby little paws to grab at them.

"And I'm pretty sure I know what that is," he turned back to her. "You want to stop having kits."

She winced, but nodded, careful not to jostle the kits on her arms.

"I-I mean, think about it, Nick, you'll be forty-two when they all start school, almost fifty-five when they graduate, not to mention the expense," she went on. "It'll be hard enough just raising five, not to mention we still have you and me to worry about, and-"

He sat down and put a claw to her lips, smiling tenderly at her.

"I'm so happy to have had even one kit with you, Carrots, let alone five," he took Jun when the kit let go, wiping his mouth with his ever-present neckerchief before bouncing him gently against his shoulder. "And I know being a mother's not the only thing you want to do with your life, it was always going to be your choice when we stopped."

She looked up at him after doing the same with Gypsy, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"You've already sacrificed so much for me, Judy," he went on, laying both kits back in the bassinet, all four once again sleeping soundly. "I'm not about to ask you to give up any more."

She fixed her hospital gown, reaching up to take his paw after he tied it for her.

"I made those sacrifices because I wanted to, Nick, because you're one of the best things that ever happened to me. Besides," her grip tightened. "You've saved my life so many times, forgiven me no matter how much I hurt you."

She smirked.

"And it all started because you stole my heart without me even noticing," she nuzzled his nose with hers. "And even if we hadn't gone through everything we have, I'd never think about asking for it back."

His ears flicked.

"You overheard me trying to come up with that speech, didn't you?"

She giggled.

"I might have, but I still mean every word of it, just as much as you would have."

He laughed, then shook his head.

"You sly little bunny," he leaned closer. "But that's just one of the things I love about you."

He kissed her, taking a deep drag of her scent when he pulled away.

"The six of you are the light of my life, Judy," he whispered. "And I can't wait to see how much brighter it gets."

She giggled again, swiping half-heartedly at her damp cheeks, running her fingers through the fur on his as he leaned back in to kiss her.


End file.
